Velvet's Return: The Last Airbender
by Blackrockshooterstar
Summary: Just as the title says: Velvet returns after a thousand years to find whoever sealed her away. The Tales of Berseria, Zestiria and Avatar world's are fused together. Can Velvet and The Shepherd help Avatar Aang and the group stop the war? Will Velvet give hope to the people or spread malevolence to the world?
1. Chapter 1

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 1**

 **The Boy In The Iceberg And The Gold Eyed Woman**

 _"A 1,000 years ago, a land far away from the four lands of the elements, was in peril by monsters and a person freed the land from them. But the truth was never revealed and the people forgot what really happened in the past and the the four lands outside never heard of what happened._

 _900 years later. The four lands, the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation and the Air Nomads lived in harmony until the Fire Nation attacked the other lands in hope for power. The Avatar, the master of all four elements, could stop them but when the world needed him the most, he disappeared._

 _For hundred years, the people waited for the Avatar to be reborn in the Air Nomads, but started to lose hope that the Avatar would never be reborn and the belief started to turn into lost hope of the war would go to the Fire Nation. Just a few still has hope and believed that the Avatar somehow escaped and will come back to save the world."_

* * *

In the icy waters surrounded by icebergs, a canoe was following the water stream. Two people was sitting in the canoe, one boy and one girl. Both had brown hair and blue eyes, wearing blue hooded fur jackets. The boy was holding a spear in his hands, that's raised in the air.

"It's not getting away from me this time. Watch and learn, Katara." The boy said to the girl, Katara, who is sitting behind him in the back of the canoe. "This is how you catch a fish."

She leans over the edge to see a fish swimming next to the edge. Hesitantly, Katara removes her left glove. She takes a deep breath and with a look of concentration begins to do a motion with her exposed hand. Suddenly, a globe of water containing the fish bursts out of the water.

"Sokka, look!" Katara exclaimed.

"Shh. Katara, you're gonna scare it away." The boy, Sokka whispered back. He licked his mouth in delight. "Mmmm? I can already smell it cookin'!"

"But Sokka!" Katara said, trying to retrain control of the water globe with the fish. "I caught one!"

She struggles with the blob of water and moves it closer to Sokka, who raises his spear higher to strike a fish in the water. When he raised it high enough for the end of the spear burst the bubble, the fish falls back to the water and Sokka got drenched in it.

"Hey!" Katara exclaimed.

"Ugh! Why is it that every time you play with magic water, I get soaked?" Sokka asked irritated.

"It's not magic. It's waterbending, and it's-" Katara was cut off.

"Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, blah blah blah. Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself."

"You're calling me weird? I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water." Sokka made the exact thing in the reflection. Katara noticed something on one of the iceberg nearby. "Sokka, can you stop for a second? I need to check on something."

"To check on what?" When Sokka turned back, Katara was already jumping from an iceberg to another. He sighed and peddled after her, arriving at something strange.

A big double door was engraved in the ice, only one of the doors was visible with a half of a strange symbol engraved. Katara looking back and forth from a small text next to the visible door, running her gloved hand over the text. Sokka had his mouth opened as he got up from the canoe, after secures there only way for them to go back, gawking over the sight.

"Katara, what is all this?" Sokka asked her, looking at the door.

"I found this a few months ago, I think it have some connection to the Avatar. Just a few weeks ago, this half appeared in a light and this riddle became clearer." Katara explained. "I've been trying to solve it for days. 'When two lights of two chosens comes and free the lands, the doors of great power will open and a new friend will come to aid. Show her the path to trust and companionship, taking the dark heart away and lead her to the light of day'. I don't know what it means, but I bet is about the Avatar."

"Do you know what the 'second light' is? The one that made the door show a bit." Katara shook her head.

"Let's go, I just wanted to see if something else appeared. But promise that you will not tell anyone in the village about this." The two got back into the canoe to continue there fishing.

But as they follows the stream, but suddenly the boat is bumped into something, they look up to see they have entered an ice packed area. They begin to work frantically to maneuver the canoe between the icebergs.

"Ahh!" Both said as Sokka tries to avoid the icebergs.

"Watch out! Go left! Go left!" Katara exclaimed.

Icebergs are colliding all around them. Each time they manage to avoid getting crushed between the colliding icebergs, but their safety margins decreases rapidly each time. Finally the canoe is crushed when three icebergs collide at once. Sokka and Katara jump out in time onto one of the icebergs. They are now at the mercy of the currents.

"You call that left?" Katara said a little irritated.

"You don't like my steering." Sokka said back. "Well, maybe you should have waterbended us out of the ice." Behind them was a huge towering iceberg rears up into the sky.

"So it's my fault?" Katara said becoming more angry by the minute.

"I knew I should have left you home. Leave it to a girl to screw things up" Katara's anger begins boiling over. She points at her brother.

"You are the most sexist, immature, nut brained!" As she gets more angry, the iceberg which they are sitting begins to heave and the huge iceberg behind her begins to crack. "Ugh, I'm embarrassed to be related to you! Ever since Mom died I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!" Sokka notices the cracking iceberg.

"Uh? Katara?"

"I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, NOT PLEASANT!" Waves came as she waved her arms.

"Katara! Settle down!"

"No, that's it. I'm done helping you. From now on, you're on your own!" By the end she is screaming. As she finishes, the iceberg behind her splits open entirely. It disintegrates and the major pieces fall into the water, pushing their iceberg away. They hold on desperately until the iceberg settles.

"Okay, you've gone from weird to freakish, Katara." Sokka said.

"You mean I did that?" Katara asked confused.

"Yup. Congratulations." Sokka said sarcastic.

They both are leaning over the edge of the iceberg raft. Suddenly, the water just in front of them begins to glow an incandescent blue. They move backwards on their raft as another, lighter colored iceberg breaks the surface. It is unclear whether this is part of the one Katara broke up or not. As the new iceberg settles, Katara walks to edge of their iceberg raft to get a better look. Deep in the ice, the figure of a boy in a meditation pose is seen. He has white arrows on his fists and on his bald head. Suddenly, his eyes glow and his arrow markings glow white.

"He's alive! We have to help." Katara exclaimed and grabs Sokka's hockey stick type spear from his back, pulls down her hood and turns to go to the boy.

"Katara! Get back here! We don't know what that thing is!" Sokka shouted.

Katara ignores him and skips across a few little icebergs to arrive at the one in which the boy is trapped. Sokka follows. She begins to use the hockey stick to whack the ice. After a few big whacks, she cracks open the ice. It looks like air is released, as if the iceberg had a hollow chamber within it, but it is not entirely clear. The iceberg then cracks from top to bottom and explodes open. A huge shaft of white blue light shoots straight into the heavens. From somewhere nearby where the shaft of light and the aurora australis is clearly seen in the background. Unknown to them, the ice door begins to light up and revealed the other half of the symbol.

The foreground is occupied by a herd of tiger seals, who rears themselves up and roar at the to a view of an iron hulled battleship with a spiked prow cutting through the sea also nearby. It is apparently steam powered as it has a single smokestack. The foredeck is much longer than the afterdeck. The bridge appears to be several decks above the main deck. A young man on the foredeck dressed in red, also shaven-headed except for a pony-tail, staring intently at the shaft of light in front of the ship. His face, still illuminated by the shaft of light. The left side of his face is badly scarred around his left eye. This is Prince Zuko. The light from the light shaft dissipates.

"Finally." He said and turned around to talk to someone. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?" An old man was seating cross legged at a low table, drinking tea and playing a game involving domino like objects.

"I won't get to finish my game?" The old man said.

"It means my search - it's about to come to an end." Zuko said, turning back to the ocean. Iroh groans. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko." Iroh explained. "I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?"

"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar. Helmsman, head a course for the light!" Zuko said, exploding in anger.

The exploded iceberg, which Sokka still shielding his sister from the blast that just dissipated. They look up to see residual blue light still swirling around the top of what is left of the iceberg. Suddenly, the boy appears, his eyes and arrow markings still aglow.

"Stop!" Sokka said and raised his spear at the boy.

The boy stands up as the glow and residual energy fades. He seems to pass out and slides down the side of the ruined iceberg to Sokka and Katara, who lunges forward and catches him as he falls. Sokka pokes the boy in the head with the blunt end of his weapon.

"Stop it!" Katara said.

She gives Sokka the heisman and turns to the boy. She gently turns him over so that he is lying on his back. He begins to wake up. He slowly opens his eyes. A breeze gently blows her braids and he takes a breath.

"I need to ask you something." He whispered in a weak voice.

"What?" Katara asked.

"Please, come closer."

"What is it?"

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?" The boy asked excited.

"Uh... sure. I guess." Katara said unsure. The boy airbends himself to his feet as he starts to rub the back of his head.

"Ahh!" Sokka exclaimed.

"What's going on here?" The boy asked.

"You tell us! How'd you get in the ice?" Sokka said, poking the boy with his spear. "And why aren't you frozen?"

"I'm not sure." The boy said and batting the spear away, absently.

The boy gasps as a low, animal like noise is heard from behind him and begins to frantically climb back up the ruined iceberg. He jumps over the lip of what is in fact now a crater and lands on a huge furry animal.

"Appa! Are you all right?" The boy said. "Wake up, buddy."

He hugs Appa. Appa occupies most of the crater left by the explosion. He is a huge flying bison with six legs and horns like a steer. He gets up and shakes himself off a bit.

"What is that thing?" Sokka asked.

"This is Appa, my flying bison." The boy introduced the giant animal.

"Right. And this is Katara, my flying sister." Sokka said not convinced.

Aang is about to reply, but doesn't as Appa begins to sneeze. Aang ducks in time as Appa proceeds to sneeze all over Sokka.

"Ewww! Aahh!" Sokka exclaimed, trying to get it of in the snow.

"Don't worry. It'll wash out." The boy explained. Sokka still had some in his face and touched it, taking away his hand in disgust. "So, do you guys live around here?"

"Don't answer that! Did you see that crazy bolt of light? He was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy." Sokka said suspicious.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure he's a spy for the Fire Navy." Katara said sarcastic. "You can tell by that evil look in his eye." The boy made an innocent face. "The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka. You never told us your name."

"I'm A... aaaahhhh... ahhhhhh... aaah aaah aaah AAAAAAACHOOOO!" As the boy sneezes he zooms of the ground far into the air. He responds to her question after he lands to the whistling sound of a bomb dropping. "I'm Aang." He sniffles and rubs his nose.

"You just sneezed... and flew ten feet in the air." Sokka said incredulous.

"Really? It felt higher that that." Aang said and Katara gasped.

"You're an airbender!" Katara said.

"Sure am." Aang answered.

"Giant light beams... Flying bison... Airbenders... I think I've got Midnight Sun Madness. I'm going home to where stuff makes sense." Sokka said like he was crazy, he turned around before he remembered that there canoe was destroyed.

"Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I can give you a lift." Aang suggested and airbends himself onto Appa's head, then to the top of his back where rests an enormous saddle. Reigns are attached to both of Appa's great horns.

"We'd love a ride! Thanks!" Katara thanked and gets on Appa.

"Oh, no... I am not getting on that fluffy snot monster." Sokka said.

"Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and give you a ride home?" Katara half joked. "You know... before you freeze to death?" Sokka starts to say something and gives up before he does. He sighs. Katara and Sokka sat in the back part of the saddle. Katara looks excited. Sokka looks grumpy, arms folded across his chest.

"Okay. First time flyers, hold on tight! Appa, yip yip!" Aang said and shakes the reigns and Appa makes a low rumble. He flaps his huge beaver tail and then launches into the air. He spreads his legs wide, but then comes right back down into the water with a huge splash. He begins to swim them forward. "Come on, Appa. Yip yip." Aang shakes the reign again.

"Wow. That was truly amazing." Sokka said unconvinced.

"Appa's just tired. A little rest and he'll be soaring through the sky. You'll see." Aang said and made a 'soaring through the sky' motion with his hand, his eyes finally resting on Katara. He leaves them there, a smile on his face as he looks at her.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" Katara asked confused.

"Oh... I was smiling?" Aang said confused as Sokka looked at them in disgust. But then he noticed something .

"Hey, Katara. Didn't that ice door you showed me only had one door?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, why?" Katara answered.

"Because now there's two doors instead of one." Sokka said and pointed at the door or doors you should say.

"What?" Katara said confused. She looked where her brother pointed and gasped.

"Go there, Appa." Aang said and turned Appa to the doors.

As they arrive, Aang, Katara and Sokka stands in front of it, unsure of going inside.

"Should we go in?" Sokka asked, a little nervous.

"Yeah, maybe something exciting is inside." Aang said excited.

"The riddle did say that a friend was on the other side as well great power." Katara said unsure as Aang puts his hands on the doors, ready to open them.

"What are we waiting for, let's go!" Aang said and pushed the doors opened. The siblings nodded and followed Aang in.

Inside was a long corridor made out of ice that lights up the whole chamber. Four big statues was in the walls, two on each side. Two of them were girls and the other two were boys. One of the boys had a sword on his back and the other was wearing a long trenchcoat. The girls, however, was very different. One of them was wearing an elegant but easy to fight short dress and the other was dressed like a witch. There faces was hard to see as well was the text on the pedestals underneath.

"Look at these statues!" Katara exclaimed looking at the guy in the trenchcoat. "They're amazing!" Sokka walked to her side. Aang, however, was being dragged to go further inside. He didn't go far until Sokka noticed he was not with them.

"Where's Aang?" Sokka asked and they turned to see the airbender walking to the room deeper in the corridor.

"Aang, wait up!" Katara called out and they both ran to catch up, but an ice wall suddenly appeared and blocked the way to the chamber. "Aang!" When she called out to Aang, he got out of his trance and turned around to see the ice wall.

"Guys, are you okay?!" Aang asked.

"We're okay! You?!" Sokka called out.

"Fine! I'm going to try to find a way to get out." Aang said and walk further in with awe.

The chamber looked like a beautiful shrine of some sort, as a pair of small stairs lead up to a big cluster of crystals, there was a bigger crystal in the middle of it. Six pillars surrounded it in the middle of the room.

"Just what is this place?" Aang thought out loud.

"This is a shrine for one of my master's old friends..." A voice said, which made Aang jump in surprise. He turned around to see a man with blue spiky hair in a ponytail. His dark blue eyes was focused on the crystals.

"Who are you?" Aang asked, making the man shocked and turned to look at him.

"You can see?" The man asked and Aang nodded confused. "That means that you have some special connection with spirits or something. What's your name?"

"I'm Aang." The airbender answered as the blue haired man walked up to him. "You?"

"My name is Jolou." The man introduced himself.

"So, how come you're here, Jolou?"

"This shrine is my vessel." Aang gave him a confused look. "You see, I'm what's called a seraphim. You could say we're spririts unable to be seen by humans, we live together and long time ago they could see us. Like benders, we can control one of the elements while some control something else. Aang, you're just one of the very few who can see us. But there also dark energy created by humans called malevolence that can turn both seraphim and humans into monsters called Hellions, which there monster form can only be seen by those who can see us."

"So you're the one making the ice wall, because you're an water seraph!"

"Yes, also why I did it was because I didn't know how you got in here." Jolou took a glance on the crystals, noticing a small crack in the big crystal. "But I understand now, the two lights have shown themselves to the world and now the time is up. The seal is now broken and now she'll return after so many years." They both turned to the ice wall.

"Who is she?" Jolou said nothing, he reached out his hand and the wall started to disappear.

"You will meet her soon, so take care of her..." Jolou said a word that Aang heard but didn't pay attention. Jolou disappeared as Katara and Sokka comes in, running to Aang's side.

"Glad that you're okay, but how did you make the wall disappear?" Katara asked as Sokka walks up to the crystals. Aang shrugged.

"I don't know." He said simply. Sokka was in front of the crystal and saw a person inside, a woman.

She had extremely long and black hair which drops to floor-level, towards the bottom her hair is plaited into big braids that are tied off by a bandage-like band. Her hair-strands curve towards the left-side of her face and she has mid-length hair which is plaited and tied by a smaller bandage-band resting on her left shoulder.

Her outfit consists of a revealing ruby-red corset which reveals her midriff. It is possible her clothes have been torn before getting inside the crystal. The red corset has an insignia visible below the belt which it hinders below, it was the same insignia that was on the doors. The same belt rests of her hip and above her torn, black jean trousers, which now look like shorts. The jean trouser has a chain, multiple belts wrapped around her right leg and a few which spiral towards the lower half of her left. Over her corset, is a black jacket in the form of a robe with red-velvet lacing, the jacket is ripped towards the bottom and is tightened towards her chest by the belt.

She also wears protective armor on her footwear as well as one extra armor plate on her right shin. She wears the same armor in the form of an arm protective gauntlet which rests above the same material as her coat, the material arches its way up to and wraps around her middle finger, highlighted by a rhombus-shaped piecing. Her left arm is wrapped and bandaged up by some unknown reason. Her eyes were closed like if she was asleep(info taken from talespedia, taking too long).

"Uh, you guys." Sokka says a little nervous. "There's a person inside these crystals." Sokka knocked the crystal with his finger, accidently making more cracks.

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed as Sokka took a few stepps back in surprise.

"I'm sorry!" He said. When bigger cracks appeared and Sokka jumps scared down the stairs, in front of the others. "That wasn't me."

The crystal breaks, so they had to shield there eyes from the shards but hears footsteps. They all look up to see the woman walking slowly down the steps, her bangs covering her eyes with a shadow. Sokka stands up, ready to fight her but when she was in front of them, she falls to the side on the floor. Katara runs to her side together with Aang, Katara sits her up a little.

"She fainted by exhaustion." Katara said, taking a good look of her appearance. "I've never seen clothes like these before or even the armor."

"She must be from the Fire Nation." Sokka said suspicious.

"Sokka, why would a Fire Nation spy trap or even seal themselves inside those crystals here in the South Pole." Katara said, which Sokka trys to come up with something else but couldn't come up with anything. Aang was about to touch her when he sensed something from her, some kind of energy and move away his hand with a puzzled get familiar feeling. Katara noticed this. "What is it, Aang?"

"I don't know why, but…it's like there's something about her that's, familiar… but also something magical and powerful." Aang tried to explain. "It's hard to explain."

"Magical. Sure, magical." Sokka said sarcastic. "And I think this girl can glow in the dark too."

"Sokka, stop that." Katara said, giving him a glare before looking back at the woman before her with worry. "We need to take her back to the village."

"Are you insane?!" Sokka exclaimed.

"No, but if we don't get her there she could freeze to death or something worse." Katara said. "She might even panic because of the unfamiliar surroundings."'

Sokka trying to think of a good response, but he can't think of one, and looks at the unconscious woman, then back at Katara. Katara was looking at Sokka with a serious look on her face. Sokka sighed in defeat.

"Alright fine. But I'm gonna keep an eye on her, until we get there." He said in defeat.

"So you don't mind help carrying her?" Katara said and takes one of the woman's arms over her shoulders. Sokka took the other one and they begin to walk out of the shrine. Aang turned around to see Jolou standing near the crystals with a smile, Aang put a small smile himself before catching up with his new friends.

Outside, Aang helped the siblings to get the woman on Appa. Once all four of them was up, Katara puts on a blanket on the woman to keep her warm just in case. Appa once again swimming through to the direction to the village. On Prince Zuko's Fire Navy ship. Zuko, on the spotting deck off the bridge looking forward, is approached by Iroh. It is now night.

"I'm going to bed now." He said and yawned. "Yep. A man needs his rest. Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you're right and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him. Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed."

"Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does." Zuko said. "This coward's hundred years in hiding are over."

Back to the group, Appa was still swimming as the others were relaxing. Aang was laying his back on top of Appa's head. Katara, who was in the saddle on Appa's back with her brother, crawls forward and looks down from the saddle at Aang.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey." Aang said. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

"I guess I was wondering, you being an airbender and all, if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar." Katara asked. Aang looked disconcerted.

"Uhh... no. I didn't know him... I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't. Sorry."

"Okay. Just curious."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know about seraphim?"

"Yeah, my grandmother told me stories about them, there almost like spirit benders that we can't see. Why do you ask?"

"Because I meet one back at the shrine."

"What..."

"He was the one who made the ice wall because he didn't know how we got in. But he said that this woman was a friend to his master and asked me to take care of her."

"'When two lights of two chosens comes and free the lands, the doors of great power will open and a new friend will come to aid. Show her the path to trust and companionship, taking the dark heart away and lead her to the light of day'." Aang looked at her confused. "It was a riddle that was engraved next to the doors, I've been trying to solve it but now I get the last part. That woman..." Katara looks at her. "...she maybe have been through something rough and something made her change her heart. He probably want us to show her that the past is the past."

Sokka looked the woman, thinking what she might have been through. The only thing he got was what happened to him and Katara, losing a family member.

"We better get some rest guys." Katara says and gets back into the saddle.

"I'll keep an eye on her, just in case she does something Fire Nation like." Sokka said and pointed at the woman.

"Enough with the Fire Nation stuff, Sokka." Katara said.

"Hey, you will never know what a sleeping woman would do." Sokka said and his sister sighed annoyed.

"Good night." She said.

"Sleep tight." Aang said. Katara was looking at the woman still unconscious, she then begins look at her knowing that there's something about her that's…different. Appa continued to swim as the group sleept.

* * *

In the woman's dream, the sky was in the colors grays, cris and pale brown. Aang wakes up on Appa's saddle, then Aang begin struggling against Appa's reigns with heavy rain coming down. Then Aang screamed as he and Appa suddenly penetrate the surface and enter the watery depths. They come up briefly for air, Appa groans, but they are once again driven under the storm tossed waves. As they drift downward, Aang drops Appa's reigns and begins to lose consciousness. Suddenly, Aang's eyes and markings glow white. He puts his hands together and he freezes himself and Appa in a huge ball of ice.

Back in reality, the woman woke up. Her eyes slowly opens, revealing the gold color of her eyes, showing a small sign of exhaustion. It took a few seconds until the blurriness disappeared making her see clearly. She saw Katara sit next to her, who gasped.

"You're awake!" Katara exclaimed as the woman slowly sits up. The woman grabs her head in pain as an terrible headache came.

"What happened?" She said in a low but emotionless voice. "Who are you and where am I?"

"You're in my village, the Southern Water Tribe." Katara explained. "And my name is Katara."

"The Southern Water Tribe, huh?" The woman said.

"Can you tell me your name?" Katara asked.

"Velvet Crowe..."

"Nice to meet you! Are you alright? It looked like you were having a nightmare."

"Sort of, I think." Katara looked at Velvet with concern but remembered something.

"Do you remember what happened to you? Before you were sealed away." Velvet looked down in shock, her eyes on the bandaged arm.

"I was sealed away?" She said. Katara begins to be concern over that.

"So you don't remember?" Velvet shakes her head, careful to not make the headache worse. She noticed she was missing some of her clothes and glanced at Katara.

"What did you do with my clothes?"

"We had to take them off to make sure you didn't get ill or something. But I had to be careful so that my brother didn't come in here."

"Then it was for a good reason."

"Aren't you cold? We are after all in South Pole." Velvet shocked her head again.

"I had this weather and cold back home." Katara nodded in understanding.

"Come on, get ready. Everyone's waiting to meet you."

Velvet gets up and puts on her gauntlet, shoes, and jacket. Katara looks at Velvet's left bandaged arm the whole time. Once Velvet was done, Katara grabs her by the hand and drags her outside. As Katara pulls her out, Aang noticed that Velvet was up and quickly goes up to her with a smile on his face.

"Hey you're awake, good to know you're alright." Aang said. "I'm Aang."

"Velvet, and thanks." Velvet introduced herself.

"About what?" Aang questioned.

"For helping me." She said and looked away.

"She don't remember how she got inside those crystals, that's why." Katara explained to Aang. "Come on, you two got to meet the rest of the Tribe."

A small crowd has gathered to greet them. It is composed of women of various ages and children.

"Guys, this is the entire village. Entire village, meet Aang and Velvet." Katara introduced them. Aang bows to them in a friendly manner and Velvet didn't greet them as she was in thought, but the people pull back from her anyway.

"Uh... why are they all looking at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?" Aang questioned. An old woman goes forward as Aang inspects his clothes for bison snot.

"Well, no one has seen an airbender in a hundred years." The old woman said. "We thought they were extinct until my granddaughter and grandson found you."

"Extinct?" Aang resaid.

"Guys, this is my grandmother." Katara said, breaking Velvet's thoughts.

"Call me Gran Gran." Katara's grandmother said, she eyed Velvet's outfit. "I must say, you wear such odd clothing."

"I'm wearing this for a reason." Velvet explained and grabbed her left arm. Aang noticed red and black smoke coming out from under the bandages. Sokka took the chance to take Aang's staff.

"What is this, a weapon?" Sokka asked. "You can't stab anything with this."

"It's not for stabbing." Aang said and creates a jet of air that sucks the staff back into his hand. "It's for airbending." Aang opens the staff into a glider with red wings.

"Impressive." Velvet said.

"Magic trick! Do it again!" A little girl said.

"Not magic, airbending." Aang explains. "It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly."

"You know, last time I checked, humans can't fly." Sokka proclaimed.

"I have to disagree, I've seen someone fly, kinda." Velvet said.

"Well, check again!" Aang said and launches himself into the air with his glider. He soars through the air, doing loops as the villagers on the ground point to him in wonder.

"Whoa..." The villagers said.

"He's flying..."

"It's amazing!"

Aang looks down at Katara who smiles at him. He is so enthralled with her attention that slams right into Sokka's guard tower. He pulls his head out of the tower and falls to the ground with his glider. Sokka gasped.

"My watchtower!" He exclaimed.

"That was amazing." Katara said. Aang looked up to see Velvet holding out her hand, he took it and Velvet helped him up on his feet. Aang twirls his glider shut as Sokka examines the damaged tower behind him. After Aang closes the glider a huge bank of snow buries Sokka.

"Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, together you can just waste time all day long." Sokka said irritated.

"You're a waterbender!" Aang exclaimed.

"Well... sort of. Not yet." Katara said.

"I might be new here, but what's a waterbender?" Velvet asked confused.

"You don't know what a waterbender is?" Katara said and Velvet shakes her head in response, but as Katara was about to ask, Gran Gran came.

"Okay, Katara. No more playing. It's time for chores." Gran Gran said as she takes Katara away.

"I told you, Gran Gran. He's the real thing. I finally found a bender to teach me." Katara said.

"Katara, don't put your hopes in that boy." Gran Gran said.

"But he's special. I can tell. I sense he's full of much wisdom." Katara said as she sees Aang playing with the children with his tongue frozen on his staff.

"Sthee? Now my tongue ith thuck to my sthaff." Aang said and a child yanks him but his tongue is still stuck.

"What about the girl?" Gran Gran asked and they turn to see Velvet talking with Sokka while helping him rebuild the tower, which some of his comments annoyed her, giving him a smack in the head.

"I don't know why, but I think she's a powerful warrior and could possibly take down 100 enemies by herself." Katara explained, not taking her eyes of Velvet. "She's also very beautiful."

"Hey, Velvet!" Velvet turned around to see Aang behind her, who had gotten his tongue off his staff.

"What is it?" She asked.

"There's something I want to show you." Aang explained.

Aang led Velvet to the shrine as he found a way to get there on foot rather with Appa, as the bison needed some rest after swimming them to the village. As they arrived, Aang opened the door but saw Velvet stare on it, as if it was familiar to her.

"Velvet, what's wrong?" The airbender asked and the gold eyed girl shakes her head.

"It's nothing." Velvet said and walked in. She saw the statues fairly quickly and recognized them. "Rokurou, Eizen..." She turned to the other wall with the girls. "Magilou, Eleanor..."

"Were they your friends?" Aang asked but Velvet just walked away deeper into the shrine. Velvet placed a hand on one of the pillars, feeling some kind of energy from the shrine.

 _'What is this energy? You can feel it in this whole place.'_ Velvet thought and closed her eyes, but she reopened them when she felt the energy getting stronger and saw Jolou walking to her.

"I'm greatful to finally meet you, Velvet Crowe..." Jolou said and bowed. "My name is Jolou, I've been watching over you when you were asleep and sealed away." He turned to Aang. "Thank you for bringing her here."

"You're welcome!" Aang said. "Velvet, I'll be at the village. So, see yah!" Aang run in high speed out of the shrine, leaving Velvet alone with Jolou.

"Just who are you?" Velvet asked serious.

"I'm not allowed to tell you who or what sealed you away, but all I can say is that it wasn't because of your ability. It was because my master wanted you to live on." Jolou explained and shocked Velvet. "You have a long journey ahead of you." He handed Velvet a bag, which she didn't notice he had. "I should tell you the events that have passed under the years, be ready for what's coming."

* * *

Meanwhile in Zuko's ship Zuko is facing against two Fire Navy men and Iroh sits down and watches this.

"Again." Iroh said.

Zuko blasts fire from his hands at the guards but they dodge and then the guards bend fire at Zuko but he dodges and he back flips to the guards and lands behind them and then strikes.

"No! Power of Firebending comes from the breath, not the muscle. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire." Iroh said as he demonstrates what he was saying. "Get it right this time." Iroh said.

"Enough! I've been drilling the sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready." Zuko said.

"No. You are impatient. You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!" Iroh said and Zuko blasts at one of the guards sending him backwards.

"The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic Firebending to defeat him. You WILL teach me the advance set!" Zuko said.

"Very well. First, I must finish my roast duck." Iroh said as he starts eating.

Meanwhile in the Southern Water Tribe village Sokka paces back and forth.

"Now, men, it's important to that you show no fear when you face a Firebender. In the Water Tribe, we fight to the last man standing. For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?" Sokka said talking to six children.

"I gotta pee!" One of the children said.

"Look, until your fathers return from the war, they're counting on you to be the men of this tribe and that means no potty breaks." Sokka said.

"But I gotta go!" The kid said and Sokka sighs.

"Okay...who else has to go?" Sokka asked and the other children raise their hands and Sokka face palms and the little boys walk away.

Katara then approached Sokka.

"Have you seen Aang and Velvet? Gran Gran said they disappeared over an hour ago." Katara said.

Aang then emerges from a small igloo bathroom stall as the kids go to the bathroom.

"Wow! Everything freezes in there!" Aang said and the children laughs.

"UGH! Katara! Get him out of here! This lesson is for warriors only!" Sokka said and they then hear a kid shout 'whee!' and they see Aang on Appa's back and Appa's tail is propped up into a sawhorse and a kid is using Appa's back and tail as a slide and lands in a pile of snow and the children, Katara start laughing. "Stop! Stop it right now!" Sokka yelled as he runs to Aang. "What is wrong with you? There's no time for fun and games with the war going on!"

"War?" Aang asked as he gets off of Appa.

"What war?" Velvet asked as she walks to them with the bag on her shoulder.

"Oh, hi Velvet, how was the talk?" Aang greeted her.

"It was good but how I got there is still a mystery." Velvet said. "Is it okay I place my bag in Appa's saddle?" Aang nodded and Velvet throws her bag in the saddle.

"You're both kidding right?" Sokka asked.

"PENGUIN!" Aang yelled excited and they turn to see a penguin who waddles away and Aang uses his Airbending to run at full speed to chase after it.

"He's kidding, right?" Sokka said.

Later Katara and Velvet searched for Aang, they enter an area full of penguins that are waddling and making noise and they start searching for Aang.

"Aang?" Katara called.

"Aang? Where are you?" Velvet asked and they see Aang trying to catch a penguin but it waddles away.

"Hey, come on. Wanna go sledding?" Aang asked as he lunges at the penguin but he falls flat on his face and laughs.

"You're very hyper, are you?" Velvet asked helping Aang up.

"I'm great with animals." Aang said as he starts imitating the penguins making Katara giggle.

"Aang, I'll help you catch a penguin if you agree to teach me Waterbending." Katara said.

"You got a deal. Just one problem. I'm an Airbender, not a Waterbender. Don't you have somebody in your tribe who can teach you?" Aang asked.

"No. You're looking at the only Waterbender in the whole South Pole." Katara said.

"The only one?" Velvet asked and Katara sadly nodded.

"This isn't right. A Waterbender needs to master water. What about the North Pole? There's another tribe up there right? Maybe they have a Waterbender who can teach you." Aang said.

"Maybe, but we haven't had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. It's not exactly 'turn right at the second glacier'. It's on the other side of the world." Katra said.

"But you forgot I have a flying bison. Appa and I can personally fly you to the North Pole. Katara, we're gonna find you a master!" Aang declared.

"That's...I don't know. I've never left home before." Katara said.

"Well, you think about it, but in the meantime, can you teach me how catch these penguins?" Aang asked.

"Okay. Listen closely, young pupil. Catching penguins is a very ancient and sacred art. Observe." Katara said as she takes out a small fish and she throws it at Aang and the penguins start surrounding him.

Later on Aang, Velvet, and Katara rocket off an ice bank and they are each sitting on a penguin and they land on a bank below and continue down at high speed on the penguins belly, Aang and his penguin make a jump off a small ramp and lands in front of Katara and Velvet, and Velvet makes a jump and lands near Aang and they laugh together.

"I haven't had this much fun since I was a kid!" Katara said.

"You still are a kid!" Velvet said.

They continue to slide across the frozen landscape and they enter the tunnels and they have periodic gaps where sunlight pours through and then they emerge from the tunnels and they get off their penguins and they stand up dizzy and they waddle off and the three walk forward and they look at something.

"What's that?" Velvet asked.

"A Fire Navy ship and a very bad memory for my people." Katara answered and Aang and Velvet walk over to the ship. "Guys, we're not allowed to go in there. It could be booby trapped."

"If you want to be a bender, you have to let go of fear." Aang replied.

"I'll have to agree with Aang. You can't let your fears stop you and you have to head on." Velvet said and they enter the ship and Katara follows them.

After climbing up and entering the ship through a hole they walk around the dark corridors and they stop at a darkened area with weapons around.

"This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran Gran was a little girl. It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks." Katara explained.

"Okay, back up. I have friends all over the world even in the Fire Nation and I've never seen any war." Aang said.

"I've been in that shrine for a long time, so I've never heard of a war." Velvet said.

"Aang, how long were you trapped in that iceberg?" Katara asked.

"You were trapped in an iceberg, Aang?" Velvet asked.

"Yeah and I dunno how long. A few days maybe?" Aang guessed.

"I think it was more like a hundred years!" Katara said shocking both Aang and Velvet.

"What?!" Aang exclaimed.

"That's crazy. Impossible even. Do I look like a hundred-twelve year old man to you?" Aang asked.

"Think about it. The war is a century old. You don't know about it because somehow, you were in there the whole time. It's the only explanation." Katara said and Aang is shocked to the core and he walks backwards and sits down.

"A hundred years! I can't believe it." Aang said.

"I'm sorry, Aang. Maybe there's a bright side to all this." Katara said.

"I did get to meet you and Velvet." Aang said.

"So it should a bright side." Velvet said.

"But what about you, Velvet?" Katara asked and Velvet sighed.

"Where I came from is called Wasteland." Velvet said.

"Wasteland?" Katara said.

"I've never heard of a place called Wasteland." Aang said.

"Are you two familiar with Glenwood?" Velvet asked and they nodded. "What if I say that Wasteland was today's Glenwood 1,000 years ago?" The two benders gets shocked.

"So, you're over a thousand years old?" The two exclaimed and Velvet looked down sadly.

"To be exact, I'm a thousand-nineteen years old. My body has also turned into a human-seraph, which means I will stay like this forever but still can be seen by humans if I want to." Velvet explained, her hands turned into fists. "If I only knew the truth behind why I was sealed, I should have known what happened to my allies as well as... _him!_ " Her anger begin to overwhelm her as she was shacking. Aang got up from the floor and placed a hand on Velvet's shoulder, which stopped her shacking. Velvet looked up to Aang and Katara.

"Take it easy, when we're going to the North Pole, we can search for something that can lead to why you were sealed." Aang said with a smile.

"Come on. We should get out of here." Katara said.

The three continue to walk around the Fire Navy ship and they enter another dark room.

"Aang, we should get out of here. This place is creepy." Katara said and then Aang's foot drags a trip wire on the floor and behind them the door is blocked by a grate and they are now trapped.

"What's you said about booby traps?" Aang asked and around them machinery in the room starts to operate, steams begin to pour out of some equipment, and then a bright red flare is shot out of the Fire Navy and into the sky leaving a trail of smoke and Aang, Velvet, and Katara see this happening. Velvet gasped.

The flare then explodes with a shower of small sparks and then Aang spots a hole on the ceiling.

"Hold on tight!" Aang said as he grabs Katara and Velvet and he Airbends them through the hole leaving the Fire Navy ship and they see the flare falling and then Aang starts to hop down from the Fire Navy ship with the help of the ice encasing it and Katara and Velvet are still in his arms until he lands on the ground.

"The last Airbender. Quite agile for his old age." Zuko said as he saw the whole thing with his telescope and he turns to a soldier. "Wake my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar..." Zuko then sees Aang, Velvet, and Katara walking from the icy area where the Fire Navy still is and then he looks over the Southern Water Tribe village. "...As well as his hiding place." Zuko said as he makes a determined face.

* * *

 _Preview skit._

 **Katara:** You should have listened to me in the first place.

 **Aang:** But if we did we would never know what happened and get a piece of Velvet's past.

 **Velvet:** I should tell you that I won't talk about my past as you like, I hate talk about it whenever you ask. I'll tell you when I'm ready.

 **Aang & Katara: **R-right!

 **Velvet:** Next time: The Avatar returns and Velvet's secret.

 **All of them:** See you next time!


	2. Chapter 2

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 2**

 **The Avatars Return & Velvet's secret**

In the village of the Southern Water Tribe the villagers see Aang, Velvet, and Katara walking to the village and the children are excited to see Aang again when they get close to the village entrance the children run to Aang.

"Yay! Aang's back!" The children happily as they start hugging Aang.

"I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them to us!" Sokka said pointing his finger at Aang.

"Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident." Katara said defending Aang.

"Yeah. We were on this ship and there was this booby trap and we...kinda boobied right into it." Aang said rubbing the back of his head.

"Look, we didn't mean to set it off." Velvet said irritated.

"You stay out of this! I knew there was something weird about you this whole time!" Sokka said pointing his finger at Velvet.

"Why you..." Velvet growled and was about to walk to him but was stopped by Aang grabbing her arm.

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we'll all be in danger." Gran Gran said.

"Don't blame Katara. I brought them there. It's my fault." Aang said.

"Ah-ha! The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemies! Those two foreigners are banished from our village!" Sokka declared as the children walk away from Aang.

"Sokka, you're making a mistake!" Katara said.

"No! I'm keeping my promise to Dad. I'm protecting you from threats like them!" Sokka said pointing at Aang and Velvet.

"Aang and Velvet are not our enemies! Aang has brought us something we haven't had in a long time...fun and Velvet just want to know how she got here and who did it." Katara said.

"Fun? We can't fight Firebenders with fun! And this 'person' could be a Fire Nation spy like her!" Sokka said.

"Your paranoid attitude is already getting on my nerves." Velvet said.

"Get out of our village! NOW!" Sokka demanded.

"Gran Gran, please don't let Sokka do this." Katara said.

"Katara, you knew going on that ship is forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it's best if the Airbender and the girl leave." Gran Gran said.

"Fine! Then I'm banished too! Come on, guys!" Katara said taking Aang's hand and Velvet followed right behind them as they walk away.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Sokka demanded.

"To find a Waterbender! Aang is taking me to the North Pole and I'll help Velvet search for her answer!" Katara said.

"Great!" Aang said.

"Katara! Would you really choose them over your tribe? Your own family?" Sokka asked making Katara stop.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family." Velvet said. "You don't know how much time you have left with them."

"Neither do I." Aang said.

"So you guys are leaving? This is...goodbye?" Katara asked.

"Thanks for penguin sliding with me." Aang said.

"Yeah. It was actually fun." Velvet said.

"Where will you guys go?" Katara asked.

"Guess I'll go home and look for the Airbenders." Aang answered walking to Appa. "Wow. I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that. Or I can help Velvet find her this person." Aang said.

"Really?" Velvet asked confused.

"Yeah. He got to be around somewhere right? We'll find him in no time." Aang said as he Airbends himself on Appa.

"Thank you, Aang." Velvet said as she jumps on board Appa.

"It was nice meeting everyone." Aang said.

"C'mon, Appa. You can do it. Yip yip!" Aang said and Appa gets on his feet.

"Yeah. I thought so." Sokka said.

A little girl runs over to Appa and stands next to Katara.

"Aang! Please don't go! I'll miss you!" The little girl said as tears flows down from her face.

"I'll miss you too." Aang said sadly. Velvet jumped off Appa and walked to Katara and the little girl. She got down on one knee in front of the little girl with a small smile.

"We both are going to miss you." Velvet said and placed two fingers where the girl's heart was and a small light came before Velvet moved them away. "Be brave and help your family as much as you can. You don't wanna have what happened to me, losing all of them right before your own eyes." She stod back up and walked to Aang and Appa, getting back in the saddle.

"Come on, boy." Aang said and Appa starts to walk off.

Katara watches them go and the little girl walks away crying and Gran Gran walks over to Katara.

"Katara, you'll feel better after..." Gran Gran was cut off by Katara.

"You happy now? There goes my ONE chance of becoming a Waterbender!" Katara snapped as she walks away leaving a shocked and regretful Gran Gran.

"Okay, ready our defenses! The Fire Navy could be on our shores any minute now!" Sokka said leading the little boys back to the village.

"But I gotta..." A little boy was cut off by Sokka.

"And NO potty breaks!" Sokka said pointing the little boy to the village.

Meanwhile in a frozen wasteland outside the village Appa is still walking through with Aang and Velvet on his back until Appa decided to take a rest and lays down.

"I guess Appa needs a break." Aang said as he gets off the bison.

"Let's let him have one." Velvet said reading a book. "We'll keep going later."

"Okay. By the way, how did you get that book?" Aang asked.

"Jolou gave it to me along with the bag." She said closing it and gave it to Aang. "It's called 'The Celestial Record'. It has a lot of information about what happened this last millenium I was gone. The Seraphim, Artes even the heroes that can see us, the Shepherds. Jolou said that for twenty years a Shepherd have never appeared and my home is in the age of chaos. However, the Shepherd has finally come and has began his journey."

"Katara did say about some riddle of your return. If I remember correctly, it said that two lights will show themselves to the world, so the Shepherd must have made one of the doors appear at least." Aang said and gave the book back as Velvet nodded. "Okay then. Let's keep going."

"Okay." Velvet said but then they hear something and they turn to see a ship heading over to the village and they see the village from the horizon.

"Oh, no! The village! You guys stay here!" Aang said as he runs off. "That ship could be a Fire Navy like the villagers said."

"Stay here, Appa." Velvet said and Appa rumbles in response as Velvet runs off as well.

Meanwhile Sokka prepares for battle and puts on his war garb which are fingerless gloves, arm wraps, boots, and face paint while Zuko is in his ship and he is helped into his armor by his crew and his armor has a breastplate, shoulder guards, and a helmet and after Sokka prepares himself he heads out and stands on an ice wall of the village looking out for the Fire Navy and while he's looking out there is a rumbling noise and the ground starts to shake and parts of the wall Sokka is standing on begins to crumble and he sees his watchtower crumbling down as well.

"Aw, man!" Sokka whined.

People then start running which way to go to and Katara is among them but she sees something in the mist and Sokka sees a massive shadow emerging from the mist and it's revealed to be the Fire Navy much to Sokka's shock.

"Ohhhh, man!" Sokka said.

The Fire Navy has cut through the ice all the way to the ice village wall and while this is happening Katara puts Gran Gran in a tent to hide and she also gets a little girl and puts her in a tent as well and turns to look at Sokka who is still standing on the ice wall as the Fire Navy ship makes its way to the ice wall and Sokka prepares himself.

"Sokka! Get out of the way!" Katara called.

The Fire Navy ship reaches the ice wall and it falls to ice and snow tumbling back to the village and is carrying Sokka in the snow and the ship has come to a stop and the villages emerge from their tents and look at the ship in awe and Katara takes a deep breath and Sokka does the same thing as he sees the ship and the metal on the bowsprit starts to open and folds down to the village ground and the bowsprit is now a gangplank and Sokka backs away to avoid getting crushed and the ship shows Zuko and Fire Nation soldiers and Zuko walks down the gangplank and his soldiers follow him but Sokka gets up, takes out his weapon and charges at Zuko but Zuko easily kicks him away sending him to a pile of snow and he struggles to get out and while Zuko is walking off the gangplank the villagers draw back in fear but Zuko and his soldiers reached near them and Zuko looks at the villagers and then at Katara and Gran Gran.

"Where are you hiding him?" Zuko asked but no one answers him and so he reaches for Gran Gran and grabs her and puts her in front of the villagers. "He'd be about this age? Master of all four elements?" Zuko asked but no one still answered and Zuko just threw Gran Gran roughly back to Katara who glares at him and Zuko lets out a flame over their heads making them cower in fear. "I know you're hiding him!" Zuko said.

Sokka then finally frees himself out of the snow, gets his weapon, and charges at Zuko again but he dodges Sokka's charge and flips Sokka over his head and Zuko bends a flame at Sokka who rolls out of the way and he throws his boomerang at Zuko who avoids it making the boomerang go all the way to the sky and he turns back at Sokka angrily.

"Show no fear!" A little boy said tossing Sokka a spear and Sokka takes it and charges at Zuko.

Zuko easily breaks off the spear shaft and after breaking the head of the spear Zuko takes it and starts bonking Sokka's head a few times knocking Sokka to the ground and he rubs his head after being bonked and Zuko breaks the spear in half but then the boomerang Sokka threw reappears behind Zuko and it struck Zuko in his head messing up his helmet but he fixes it and he glares angrily at the villagers and he makes two fire daggers and walks over to the villagers.

"I'm through playing! Since you won't tell me, I'll have to..." Zuko was cut off by something.

He looked up to the sky to see Velvet falling forwards him in top speed. Velvet rotates her whole body twice as she kicks and flames appearing when she hits Zuko, unknown to them there were blades under Velvet's shoes. Zuko gets kicked back and two slash marks appeared in his breastplate. When Velvet lands on the ground, she was only a few meters away from the villagers.

"Amazing..." Katara gasped as the children cheered. Velvet slowly stood up, her eyes staring at Zuko with rage.

"Get out of my way!" Zuko demanded.

"Like if I care." Velvet said sharply making him step back. "But what I do care about is people that take advantage of others, you're threating helpless people that did nothing to you."

"I doubt you're the Avatar. You're not who I want. Now leave." Zuko said.

"The Avatar..." Velvet mumbled. "Look, trying to burn down a village and killing these people isn't gonna help you with finding him or his hiding place."

"Shut your mouth, you filthy maggot!" Zuko yelled.

"I've meet people like you and that's what I hate the most." Velvet growled and gripped her left hand tight.

"You can't even kick a ball, little worm." Zuko replied. "I won't say this again, get lost before I..." Zuko was then cut off by a big kick in the face delivered by Velvet sending him flying to where the Fire Navy ship is still at and the villagers where shocked including Katara, Sokka, and Gran Gran.

"Well, I should ask you how you got that on your chest plate." Velvet said with a smirk, pointing at the mark on his armor.

"You...!" Zuko said angrily.

"I won't say THIS again, get out of here before worse things will happen to you." Velvet threatened.

"I will not be humiliated by some random girl!" Zuko yelled as he Firebends at Velvet who dodges by a flick of her hand.

"KILL HER!" Zuko shouted but then someone comes from behind Zuko and it's Aang who is riding a penguin to the village and he flies under Zuko sweeping his legs under him and Zuko lands on the ground with his butt up and his helmet lands on his behind and the children cheer at Aang's arrival and when Aang banks snow was dumped on the children but they still cheered and the penguin stops sliding and Aang gets off.

"Hey, guys. Hey, Katara and Sokka." Aang said.

"Hey, Aang. Thanks for coming." Sokka said.

"It was about time you got here." Velvet said.

"Sorry..." Aang said before becoming serious. Aang looks at Zuko who gets up and the soldiers attack but Aang lets out gusts of wind to blow the soldiers away and then he uses wind to blow snow at Zuko. "Looking for me?"

"YOU'RE the Airbender? YOU'RE the Avatar?" Zuko asked shocking the villagers including Katara and Sokka. Velvet only gritted as she remembered what Jolou said.

 _ **Flashback**_

 _"I should tell you the events that have passed under the years, be ready for what's coming." Jolou took a deep breath before beginning. "After the events you and your friends were in, our home began to change. There's no longer Exorcists, Malakim or Daemons, instead there's we Seraphim, the Shepherd's, the humans that can see us and the Hellions."_

 _"Hellions? So you mean that the things that I have seen have changed." Velvet asked._

 _"Something like that. The Shepherds now have a different duty than the Exorcists in your era. They actually tries to purify them rather than killing them, they uses the power of the Seraphim like it was there own but unlike in the past, they are used as allies rather than slaves for there Artes. You, yourself, is a very special Seraph." Velvet got shocked and started shake. "While you were inside the crystals, your pure heart that lies deep down turned you into a Seraph that has the power to show yourself to humans or not. Unlike others, you still have the memories when you were a human and your ability to eat us through that." Suddenly, Jolou was gripped around his throat._

 _"Where is he? Where's my brother?!" Velvet said in rage, her bangs shadowed her eyes. "The only thing I can remember before waking up in the village was when I decided to go with my little brother to sleep but..." She now started to tremble. "...now I can't see him anywhere...how long have I been gone?!" Velvet let go of Jolou's throat._

 _"Lady Velvet, you've been gone for a thousand years as for your brother, I don't know." Jolou explained unfazed by her anger._

 _"Just when I finally was able to get him back..." Velvet said in despair and drops to the floor. Jolou saw her depressed look and took out something out of his pocket, he got down on one knee and presented a beautiful comb which Velvet knew very well. "Laphi's comb...!" She shakily took the comb and placed it close to her._

 _"I would like to ask a favor in this way you can find your brother." Jolou asked making her look up. "Help the Avatar."_

 _"The Avatar?"_

 _"He's the master of all the elements and a person of balance in these countries. He also lost many friends and family under the time_ _he disappeared for these last 100 years, even if he doesn't know he's the very last Airbender in our world."_

 _"So you're talking about Aang?" Jolou nodded._

 _"As he is able to see Seraphim and the only Airbender left, he's the Avatar."_

 _ **Flashback ends**_

"Aang?" Katara asked.

"No way." Sokka said.

"This is unbelievable. I've spent years preparing for this encounter, training and meditating. You're just a child!" Zuko said.

"Well, you're just a teenager." Aang replied.

Zuko blasts fire at Aang who gets rid of it by spinning his staff in front of him and Zuko bends another flame but Aang spins his staff again but he sees the villagers cowering and he knows he can't protect them if this fight continues.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" Aang asked and Zuko nods. The soldiers begin to take Aang away, but a battle cry was coming from Velvet who was running towards the soldiers holding Aang. But she was blocked by two other soldiers that took her arms and punched her in the stomach, making her gasp in pain. Aang stood there shocked and worried as was the villagers.

"Velvet!" Katara exclaimed. Zuko walks towards the black haired girl and took her chin up making Velvet look at him with an angered and painful expression.

"I'll kill you and take him." Zuko said.

"Over my dead body! You'll regret ever meeting me..." Velvet growled, Zuko let go and let her head to hang as he was about to bend fire again, this time at her.

"Wait, Zuko!" A voice said from behind and it's Iroh walking down from the gangplank.

"What do you want now, Uncle?" Zuko asked.

"What that girl did reminds me of something rare here in our lands." Iroh explained making Velvet look up a little. "The people of Gleenwood. The very place where spirits known as Seraphim plays a huge role and has a different sort of fighting style known as Artes. This very girl was able to use one. She is an Arte user." This shocked everyone except Gran Gran and Velvet.

"SHE'S one of them?!" Zuko exclaimed and looked at Velvet. "Men, take them to the ship!" The soldiers holding Velvet forced her arms to the back and she exclaimed in pain.

 _'This strength...! The only thing with this power is a Daemon...no, a Hellion.'_ Velvet looked up at the soldiers holding her and saw something different. The soldiers weren't human, they were red humanoid lizards holding her. They forced her forward, making something drop from her pocket and down in the snow. The soldiers around Aang cuffs him and they takes his staff and lead him to the ship.

"No! Let them go!" Katara yelled as she rushes to them.

"It's okay, Katara. We'll be okay." Aang said.

"Head a course for the Fire Nation! I'm going home!" Zuko said as he aboard the ship while the soldiers lead Aang and Velvet to the ship and the bowsprit rises back up and Aang and Velvet look at Katara one more time before the bowsprit closes and the ship starts to leave.

After what happened in the village with Zuko invading the village the villagers start cleaning by tending to the fire and re-raising the tents and while this is happening Katara is at the water's edge looking at the horizon and Sokka walks by while carrying some items.

"We need to go after that ship, Sokka. Aang and Velvet saved our tribe and now we need to save them." Katara said.

"Katara, I..." Sokka was then cut off by Katara.

"Why can't you just accept they're on our side? If we don't help them, no one will. I know you don't like Aang or Velvet, but we owe them and..." Katara was cut off by Sokka.

"Katara! You gonna talk all day or are you coming with me?" Sokka asked showing her a canoe that's ready to go.

"Sokka!" Katara said as she hugs him.

"Get in. We're going to save Velvet and your boyfriend." Sokka said.

"Aang is not my..." Katara was cut off by Sokka.

"Whatever." Sokka said as they were about to enter the canoe.

"What do you two think you're doing?" A voice asked behind them and Katara and Sokka turn to see Gran Gran and they look innocent and Gran Gran smiles. "You'll need these." She gives them each two bundles. "You two have a long journey ahead of you. It's been so long since I've had hope, but you brought it back to life, my little Waterbender." Gran Gran said hugging Katara and she turns to Sokka. "And you, my brave warrior, be nice to your sister." Gran Gran said hugging Sokka.

"Okay, Gran Gran." Sokka said.

"Aang is the Avatar, he's the world's only chance, and Velvet is an Arte user, one of the few people that is feared by the Fire Nation. You both found them for a reason and now your destinies are to intertwine with theirs." Gran Gran said and holds out Velvet's comb to Katara.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's something Velvet dropped when she was captured. I think it is very important to her." Gran Gran explained and Katara nodded.

"There's no way we're gonna catch a war ship with a canoe." Katara said and they hear a groan and they see Appa coming to them. "Appa!" Katara cheered running to the bison.

"You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don't you?" Sokka asked.

Meanwhile on Zuko's ship Aang and Velvet are on deck and their hands are tied behind their backs as they face Zuko who examines Aang's staff.

"This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't understand fathers, being raised by monks." Zuko said to Aang and he turns to Velvet. "If you weren't so different I could have made you a maid or even my wife. Such beauty isn't for an Arte user like you."

"I would rather be imprisoned by the Exorcists than by you." Velvet growled. "If only you knew that I'm a being to be feared by the world."

"Take her and the Avatar to the prison hold." Zuko ordered and four guards escort Aang and Velvet down the stairs. "Uncle, take this to my quarters." Zuko gives Iroh Aang's staff and walks away.

"Hey, you mind taking this to his quarters for me?" Iroh asked giving a soldier the staff and he takes it.

Aang and Velvet are being escorted along one of the ship's hallways.

"So I guess you've never fought an Airbender before. I can take both of you guys on with two hands tied behind my back." Aang said.

"Silence!" One of the guards ordered.

They stop in front of a door. As one of the guards moves to open the door with a key, Aang draws a great breath and blows the guard with the key into the door, knocking him out. The breath also propels him into the guard behind him while Velvet kicked down her guards. They are blown all the way back down the hallway. They crash into the stairs they came down on. The guard is knocked out since Aang used him to cushion his own impact. Velvet runs to him.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, but we need to find a way to get out off these things." Aang said.

"That I can handle." Velvet answered with a smirk. "Have you not wondered why I have a gauntlet on my arm?" She took out an assassin like blade from her gauntlet, which cut her bounds. Aang looked at her amazed.

"Whoa. How'd you do that?" The younger boy said as Velvet cuts his own bounds before getting it back in.

"Just a thing I learned while taking care of someone very important to me." Velvet explained. "Come on, we still need to find your staff."

They enters the ship and runs down the hall. One of the guards Aang just escaped from emerges and shouts up to a guard on the bridge deck in the foreground. The bridge guards turns and run.

"The Avatar and the Arte user has escaped!" The guard said and the soldiers on the bridge start moving.

Meanwhile Appa is swimming in the water again and Katara is holding the reins while Sokka is sitting on the saddle being bored again.

"Go. Fly. Soar." Sokka said in a bored voice.

"Please, Appa, we need your help. Aang and Velvet need your help." Katara said.

"Up. Ascend. Elevate." Sokka said still in a bored voice.

"Sokka doesn't believe that you can fly, but I do. Don't you want to save Aang?" Katara asked and Appa makes a sound to respond her.

"What was it that kid said? Yee-ha? Hup hup? Wahoo?" Sokka asked.

"It's 'Yip yip'." Katara said and then Appa responded to that and he lifts himself off the water and into the air. "I did it!"

"He's flying! He's flying! Katara, he..." Sokka cuts himself off when he sees Katara's smug look. "I mean big deal, he's flying." Sokka said.

Meanwhile Aang and Velvet was running down one of the ship's hallway, looking behind them for pursuers. They turn and starts to run forward right into three Fire Nation soldiers blocking there way, weapons drawn.

"You haven't seen my staff around, have you?" Aang said panting.

Velvet runs forwards and kicks up a guard in the air and then punches him down to the ground pretty hard, making the guard knocked out. She then sprints and kicks them down with one of her kick Artes before they continued running.

"Thanks anyway!" Aang called.

They run into another hallway, this time blocked by a single guard. He blasts a fireball at them, but they avoids it by launching themselves over the guards head. Velvet then hits the guard in the neck, making the guard unconscious on the floor. They continues through the hallway and opens several doors as the last door revealed a snoring Iroh.

"Sorry..." Aang whispered before carefully closing the door.

They keep going through the hallway until they stop at an opened door aand Aang sees something.

"My staff!" Aang said as he enters the room and Velvet follows.

When they enters the room, the door closes behind them and revealed to be Zuko behind the opened door waiting for the two.

"Looks like I underestimated you two." Zuko said as he blasts fire at them.

They barely dodge the fire attack and Aang gasps for air and Zuko shoots more fire shots but Aang rolls under Zuko and gets behind him and while staying behind him Zuko tries to find him without blasting anymore fires until Zuko turns to him and attacks but Velvet attacks Zuko with her gauntlet blade but Zuko avoids the attack and bends fire at Velvet who backs off and delivers a spin kick but Zuko moves and blasts fires again but Aang quickly grabs Velvet and he creates an air scooter and they start riding around the walls and ceiling while avoiding Zuko's fire blasts until Aang dissipates his air scooter as he and Velvet grab a tapestry off the wall and they start wrapping Zuko around with it and Zuko struggles to get free allowing Velvet to get Aang's staff and gives it to him but then Zuko frees himself by unleashing flames on the tapestry and he attacks again but Velvet kicked him against a wall and he lands on a mattress allowing Aang to Airbend the mattress up to the ceiling with Zuko still on it and then they both fall back to the ground allowing Aang and Velvet to escape.

On the bridge a deck hatch starts to spin and it's revealed to be Aang and Velvet entering the bridge and they rush to the bridge's observation deck and Aang opens his glider, throws it to the air, and he jumps after it and Velvet follows behind him and Aang catches the glider, Velvet does the same thing but then Velvet turns behind them and they see Zuko behind them jumping after them and when he reaches he grabs Velvet's foot.

"Velvet!" Aang exclaimed but then they all fall to the deck, Velvet took a good hit in her shoulder.

"What is that?" Zuko asked as Velvet sits up and grip her shoulder.

They all see a huge creature coming at the ship and Aang is smiling at this.

"Appa!" Aang cheered.

Just then Zuko blasts his fires at Aang but he dodged by jumping from the fire blasts and land on one of edges on the deck and Aang regains his balance but Zuko blasts one fire blast at Aang although he tried to block with his staff the fire blast knocks the staff out of his hands making him drop it and the fire blast gets him to fall overboard.

"Aang!" Katara cried.

"Oh, no!" Sokka said.

Aang is underwater and sinking.

"Aang! Aang! AANG!" Katara shouted and as they heard Katara's final scream Aang's eyes start to glow and Aang turns around the water reaching the surface, getting in front of the ship Aang forms a whirlpool of water around him and tower over the bridge of the ship and Zuko looks at Aang in dismay and fear as he land back on the deck and Aang makes the water around him spin and attacks Zuko and his men goes overboard. Velvet, Katara and Sokka see the whole thing in awe.

"Did you see that?" Katara asked.

"Now that's some Waterbending!" Sokka said.

"Amazing..." Velvet gasped but felt that something was off and saw that four Hellion guards surrounded her.

Aang got on his knees and Aang's eyes and arrows aren't glowing anymore and Appa lands to where they are and Katara and Sokka run to help him.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked.

"Hey, Katara. Hey, Sokka. Thanks for coming." Aang said.

"Well, I couldn't let you guys have all the glory." Sokka said.

"But where's Velvet?" Katara suddenly said and saw the Arte user surrounded by the guards. "Oh no..." She saw her shoulder being out of place. "She's injured."

Velvet, on the other hand, was chuckling rather than worried. One of the guards was about to attack her, but something stopped him which shocked everyone. A big demonic arm was holding the guard's head, it was red and black with smoke of the same colors. The arm belonged to Velvet and now was the first time Aang noticed hellion transformed guards.

"Like I said to that prince, I'm a being to be feared by the world." Velvet said in a dangerous tune as the guards disappeared like he was eaten by her arm. Velvet stands up and devoured all of them in different ways, one of them was grabbed by the head and were knocked to the floor but she had to be careful not to further injure her shoulder. The other two guards were done in the same way but in different directions. Once she was done, Velvet was panting in pain as she transformed her arm back to normal with the bandages still there and grabbed her injured shoulder making her arm inmoveable. Aang, Katara and Sokka was in bigger shock now but disappeared quickly when Velvet walked to them.

"Now you understand why I never told you about it." Velvet said, she gritted as the pain was still bothering her.

"Does it hurt?" Katara said and touched it which made the older girl flinch. "Sorry!"

"Sokka, I dropped my staff" Aang muttered, looking over at where it landed. Sokka got up and ran to the staff.

"Got it" he assured the tired boy, picking it up. However, another hand grabbed it as well. Zuko tried to use it to climb up, but Sokka poked him in the head, like how Zuko did to him earlier. Zuko then fell down towards the ocean, only to grab the anchor chain to prevent him from falling into the freezing water below. "HA! That's from the Water Tribe!" Sokka gloated. REVENGE!

They see the soldiers who are now wet because Aang's water trick getting up and they prepare to attack but Katara picks up water left over making the soldiers back off in fear and when Katara was about to whip them she freezes the water instead and gets Sokka.

"Katara!" Sokka said.

The soldiers then move forward again but Katara turns back this time and she freezes the water again and the soldiers are frozen this time as she, Aang, and Velvet get on board Appa.

"Hurry, Sokka!" Katara said as Sokka is chipping the ice with his boomerang.

"I'm just a simple guy with a boomerang. I didn't ask for all this flying and magic." Sokka said to himself as he successfully breaks the ice and he runs to board on Appa.

"Yip yip!" Aang said and Appa starts to take off into the sky.

Iroh then arrives at the deck and he sees Appa in the sky and he helps Zuko get back on deck.

"Shoot them down!" Zuko said.

As Appa is flying as he can Zuko and Iroh unleash a huge bolt of fire at the bison and while Velvet, Katara, and Sokka see this happening Aang gets to the back and he swings his staff like a baseball bat followed by a gale of wind making the fireball go at a right angle and it hits an ice cliff nearby and the fireball explodes causing huge ice to fall from the cliff and it falls on the ship damaging it making Zuko gasp in horror and Aang, Velvet, Katara, and Sokka laugh and Appa continues to fly off.

"Good news for the Fire Lord. The Fire Nation's biggest threats are a young boy and a young girl." Iroh said.

"Those two, Uncle just did this." Zuko said addressing the damaged ship. "I won't underestimate them again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" Zuko ordered but he sees some soldiers trying to unfreeze the other soldiers that were frozen by Katara. "As soon as you're done with that." Zuko said and he looks up at the sky.

Meanwhile Appa is flying through the sky and Aang is up front while Velvet, Katara, and Sokka are sitting on the saddle. Katara was helping Velvet with getting her shoulder back into place.

"Ready?" She asked Velvet, who nodded. "One, two three!" Velvet grunted in pain as the shoulder was back where it should be and could know move her arm.

"Thank you, can you get an apple gel from my bag?" The gold eyed girl asked and Katara did what she said and took out a bottle with some type of gel inside and gave it to Velvet, who open it and put some of the gel on her shoulder which in return disappeared in the skin.

"Wow, okay, that's pretty impressive." Sokka said.

"How did you do that with the water?!" Katara asked excitedly, turning to Aang. "It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

"I don't know. I just, sort of, did it" Aang shrugged.

Katara tilted her head curiously. "Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?"

"Because," Aang hesitated, before looking away in shame. "I never wanted to be."

"But, Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war" Katara argued.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Aang exclaimed, overwhelmed with the responsibility on him.

Katara paused in thought. "According to legend, you need to first master water, then earth, then fire, right?"

"That's what the monks told me." Aang sighed.

"Well if we go to the North Pole, you can master Waterbending." Katara pointed out. Aang smiled widely when he realized his friend was right. He still wasn't happy with all the responsibilities, but he'll pretend for Katara. Besides, maybe he'll grow to like being the Avatar in time.

"We can learn it together!" Aang exclaimed in excitement.

"And, Sokka, I'm sure you'll get to knock some Firebender heads on the way." Katara remarked to her brother, who smirked.

"I'd like that. I'd really like that." He nodded. Katara then remembered the comb and took it out from her pocket to give it back to it's owner.

"You dropped this in the village when you and Aang got captured." She explained.

"Thanks, this comb is really important to me..." Velvet said, taking it in her hand and begin to stare on it. "My little brother gave it to me before..."She stopped herself.

"Before what?" Aang questioned.

"Before he was killed and sacrificed..." Velvet said and the whole group gasped. "Every time I look at this, I think about the last days we had together but also the very night that changed me entirely and the very scene of my brother being killed by a person I trusted the most." Once again, she began to shake and shadowed her eyes. "It was also the night my arm got this power. Katara, when I woke up, you asked me if I remembered anything before being sealed in those crystals. I had decided to go with my brother into a sleep where we could dream away, leaving my new friends to take care of our home while we were gone. It was the very last thing I remembered." Velvet held the comb tightly in her hands. "Before I find this person who did it, I need to find my brother. He's probably sacred and worried right now."

"I didn't know you had such a hard time back then." Aang said sad over what Velvet had just told them.

"You don't need to apologize, it's just hard to forget something like that." Velvet said looking up a little.

"So, what was your brothers name?" Sokka asked, making Katara glare at him. "What?!"

"Laphicet..." The siblings looked at Velvet. "His name is Laphicet..."

"When we go to the North Pole, we can help you find him!" Aang said excited.

"You're willing to do that even if I'm a Hellion that can devour you?" Velvet asked him.

"You're actually very nice and care about people who can not protect themselves." Aang explained, making Velvet look at him in wonder. "Of course we're gonna help you find him!" Velvet lips took a small smile and she nodded.

"Then we're in this together!" Katara proclaimed happily.

"Okay, but before we go to the North Pole, we have some serious business to take care of." Aang said taking out a map. "Here, here, and here." Aang said pointing at locations of the map.

"What's there?" Katara asked.

"There, we'll ride the hoping llamas then waaaay over there, we'll surf on the back of giant koi fish then back over there, we'll ride on the hog-monkeys. They don't like people riding on them, but that's what makes it fun." Aang said.

 _'Laphi, where ever you are...'_ Velvet thought, looking up into the colorful sky. _'Wait for me, I'm coming to find you!'_

* * *

 _Preview skit._

 **Aang:** I'm glad we were able escape from there.

 **Velvet:** Yeah. That's the second time I got my shoulder out of place trying to escape.

 **Sokka:** The second time?

 **Velvet:** It's best you don't know, I'll tell you when you become a real warrior.

 **Katara:** That's the way of saying it, Velvet!

 **Sokka:** What's that suppose to mean?!

 **Aang:** Next time: The Southern Air Temple. Hope you guys will read it!

 **Velvet:** I wonder who'll be in this story.


	3. Chapter 3

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 3**

 **The Southern Air Temple**

The sun starts to rise over the lake and the group are on the lake shore and one of them is sleeping on the ground in one of the sleeping bags while Appa is standing and grazing slowly. Aang is on his head adjusting Appa's reins while Katara and Velvet are on the saddle doing some work. Katara was brushing Velvet's hair with her comb while Velvet was reading.

"Wait 'til you guys see the Air Temple. It's one of the most beautiful things in the world." Aang said.

"Aang, I know you're excited, but it's been a hundred years since you left home." Katara said.

"That's why I'm so excited." Aang said.

"What Katara is trying to say is that a lot can change in all this time." Velvet said. "The same thing happened to me, remember."

"I know, but I wanna see it for myself." Aang replied and he gets off of Appa and walks over to Sokka who is still sleeping in his sleeping bag. "C'mon, Sokka! Wake up! Time to go see the Air Temple!"

"Sleep now...Air Temple later..." Sokka said groggily.

Aang is not pleased by this but then he makes a smirk and finds a stick and grabs it, Velvet and Katara watch what Aang is doing from on top of Appa as he walks to Sokka again.

"Isn't it best for you to wake him up?" Katara asked Velvet, giving back the comb.

"No, if want to see me threating Sokka every time he needs to wake up, it's going to be tiering after a while." Velvet explained, pocketing the comb in her pocket and the book back into the bag.

"Sokka! Wake up! There's a prickle snake on your sleeping bag!" Aang said as he puts the stick up and down on Sokka's sleeping bag. Sokka is startled by this and screams.

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" Sokka shouted as he hops around in his sleeping bag until he loses balance and falls down to the ground. Velvet and Katara laugh at him while Sokka is very annoyed.

"Good, you're awake!" Aang said.

"Can I sleep while we're flying?" Sokka asked.

"Sure. He only woke you up because he wants to go to that Air Temple." Katara said.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Aang said.

"Okay, Mister Excited, we're going." Velvet said.

"Yip yip!" Aang said as Appa starts to fly.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship arrives at the Fire Nation naval yard and the ship is still damaged after what Aang and Velvet did, when the ship opens up Zuko and Iroh walk out of it and enter the naval yard itself.

"Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible. I don't want to risk losing their trial." Zuko said.

"You mean the Avatar and the Arte user?" Iroh asked.

"Don't mention them on the docks! Once word gets out that the Avatar is alive and about the girl being an Arte user, every Firebender will be out looking for them and I don't want anyone to get in the way." Zuko said.

"Get in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" A voice asked and the two turn to see a man wearing Fire Nation armor and having his hands behind his back and the man walks over to the two.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko said with distaste.

"It's COMMANDER Zhao now." Zhao said and he turns to Iroh. "And General Iroh the great hero of our nation." Zhao said bowing to Iroh said.

"RETIRED general." Iroh corrected.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcomed guests anytime. What brings you two to my harbor?" Zhao asked.

"Our ship is being repaired." Iroh answered showing Zhao their damaged ship.

"That's quite a bit of damage." Zhao said.

"Yes. You won't believe what happened." Zuko said as he turns to Iroh. "Uncle, tell Commander Zhao what happened."

"Of course. It was incredible. We crashed into something...correct?" Iroh asked.

"Yes! Right into an Earth Kingdom ship." Zuko said.

"Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details." Zhao said. "Care to join me for a drink?"

"Sorry, but we must get going." Zuko said as he starts to walk away but Iroh places his hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect. We would be honored to join you. Do you have ginseng tea? It's my favorite." Iroh said as he and Zhao walk down the docks and Zuko growls in frustration while releasing fire from his fists before following the two.

Meanwhile Appa is still flying through the sky with Aang on his head and holding the reins while Velvet, Katara, and Sokka are sitting on the saddle and while flying Velvet looks down from the sky.

"Velvet, are you okay? You look worried." Katara said.

"Yeah, I just need to get used to being here. Outside my home country." Velvet explained sad.

"Don't worry. You'll find Laphicet and he's probably looking for you too. You can't just give up on that." Katara said.

"You're right. Thanks, Katara." Velvet said and they hear something. "What was that?"

"That was my stomach." Sokka said as his stomach starts growling again. "Be quiet, stomach. I'm trying to find some food." Sokka searches through his food bag and dumps it out and only some crumbs come out. "Hey! Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?!"

"That was food? I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry." Aang said.

"You what? Awwww, no wonder the flames smelled so good." Sokka said.

"If I had an recipe, I could make some food but I don't have any recipes and it's only the food from Gleenwood I can make." Velvet explained. "I have a feeling he's gonna whine about food all day."

"Yep." Katara said.

Appa keeps flying through the sky and he reaches towards some closer mountains and Aang notices.

"The Batola mountain range! We're almost there!" Aang said.

"Aang...before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the Airbenders." Katara said.

"What about 'em?" Aang asked.

"I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation are ruthless and they killed my mother. They could have done the same to your people." Katara said.

"Just because no one has SEEN an Airbender, doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all. They must have escaped." Aang said.

"I know it's hard to accept." Katara said.

"The only way to get to an Air Temple is on a flying bison and the Fire Nation doesn't have any flying bison. Right, buddy?" Aang asked Appa who grunts in response. "Yip yip!" Aang said and Appa takes them higher.

Appa turns tightly around a mountain face and Velvet, Katara, and Sokka are straining against the wind sheer as they move faster and Appa flies up and over a rocky outcropping and treetops revealing tall spires of a temple behind it.

"This is it, guys! The Southern Air Temple!" Aang said.

"Whoa! No way! It looks amazing!" Katara said.

"It sure does." Velvet said.

"We're home, buddy. We're home." Aang said.

Meanwhile at the Fire Nation naval yard a large tent is shown and inside are Zuko, Iroh, and Zhao and Zhao looks at a large map of the whole world on the wall and explains what his army plans to do at the Earth Kingdom while Zuko sits on a chair in front of Zhao while Iroh looks at weapons on the left.

"And by year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule." Zhao finished explaining to Zuko. "The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."

"If my father thinks the whole world will follow him, then he is a fool." Zuko said.

"Two years at sea has done little to temper your tongue." Zhao replied as he sits next to Zuko. "So how goes your search for the Avatar?" Zhao asked but then Iroh tips over the stand of weapons he was looking at and he cringes at the mess.

"Hehe...my fault entirely." Iroh said as he backs away somewhere else.

"We haven't found him yet." Zuko simply answered.

"Did you expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago along with the rest of the Airbenders...unless you have some evidence that the Avatar is in fact alive." Zhao said as he sees Zuko turning away.

"No. Nothing." Zuko said.

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one capable of stopping the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have any once of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found." Zhao said as he gets closer to Zuko's face.

"I haven't found ANYTHING. It's just like you said, he died a long time ago." Zuko said as he gets up. "Come on, Uncle, we're leaving." He starts to leave the tent but the guards stop him and a guard enters.

"Sir, we've interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed that Prince Zuko had the Avatar, but he managed to escape. Not only did he have the Avatar, but also had a black haired woman who's an Arte user with a demonic arm that made four of his men disappear but she escaped with the Avatar." The guard explained and Zhao walks over to Zuko who is still blocked.

"Now remind me...how was your ship damaged?" Zhao asked.

Meanwhile Appa lands on a landing platform with a path leading up to the Southern Air Temple and Aang quickly gets off and races off while others get off after him and follow him upwards the temple's mountain and while Velvet, Katara, and Sokka walk after Aang, Sokka clutches his stomach as his stomach growls again.

"Where can I get something to eat?" Sokka asked.

"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to EVER visit an Airbender temple and all you can think about is food?" Katara asked.

"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs." Sokka said.

"Well, you are right about the simple guy part." Velvet said irritated while Katara giggles a bit.

"Very funny." Sokka said sarcastically.

They see Aang on the edge of the path waiting for the three to catch up and when they do get to Aang he points at something below them.

"That's where my friends and I play Airball." Aang said showing a parapet below with packed sticks of heights that are stuck to the ground and there are two goals on different sides and then Aang shows something else. "And there is where the bison would sleep and..." Aang stops talking and sighs.

"Is something wrong?" Velvet asked.

"This place used to be full of monks, lemurs, and bison. Now there's a bunch of weeds. I can't believe how things changed." Aang said looking sad.

Velvet, Katara, and Sokka look at each other thinking of a way to change the subject and Sokka quickly runs up to him.

"So how do you play Airball?" Sokka asked and Aang makes a smirk.

Aang and Sokka are now on different backboards and while Sokka is ready Aang bends air around rapidly spinning ball to keep it floating above his right hand and then Aang starts manipulating the ball and throws it up in the air over his head and while Sokka is following it with his eyes Aang puts his hands behind back and smiles waiting for the ball to come back down and waiting for the right moment and when he sees the ball coming back down he sends the ball bouncing through the field of sticks and Sokka watches the ball going at him with amazing speed and then the ball hits him in the stomach sending him flying backwards through the backboard behind him and he lands on the ground and Aang laughs.

"Aang seven! Sokka zero!" Aang said making numbers with his fingers of their scores.

Sokka starts to get up from the ground while Velvet was smirking and Katara was trying to hold her laughter at Sokka's defeat.

"Making him feel better is putting me in a world of hurt." Sokka said.

"At least he's having fun. Would you rather see him being depressed?" Katara asked.

"No...not really, but can it be something that does not hurt me?" Sokka asked.

"You're such a baby." Velvet said helping Sokka up.

Katara then walks away but then sees something that makes her stop and she moves forward to get a closer look and it's a Fire Nation soldier helmet.

"Velvet, Sokka, come here." Katara said, Velvet and Sokka walk over to Katara and they see what Katara is looking at.

"Fire Nation." Sokka said.

"We must tell him." Velvet said.

"Aang, you need to see something!" Katara called to Aang who is still playing with his airball.

"Coming!" Aang said running to them

While Aang is on his way Katara looks back and forth between the helmet and the happy boy coming and Katara makes a choice of what to do so she decides to bend the snow down onto the helmet and on Sokka as well and Aang arrives after that happened.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"Just a new Waterbending trick I learned." Katara said.

"Nice one, but enough practicing. We have a whole temple to see." Aang said as he walks away as Sokka gets up and wipes the snow off him.

"You know you can't protect him forever." Velvet said to Katara.

Velvet, Katara, and Sokka follow Aang to the entrance of the Air Temple but Aang races over there while Velvet, Katara, and Sokka stay behind to talk alone.

"Katara, the Firebenders were here. You can't pretend they weren't." Sokka said.

"I can for Aang's sake." Katara replied.

"Katara, I know this will hurt Aang, but he has to know the truth." Velvet said.

"He can't just know right now." Katara said as she walks from the two and they follow her and they go follow Aang. "If Aang finds out that the Fire Nation has invaded his home, he'll be devastated."

"You're right about that, but I still don't like hiding this from him. He still needs to know what happened." Sokka said.

"Hey, guys! Come here!" Aang called and the three walk over to Aang who is with a statue of someone who is an Air Monk. "I want you to meet someone."

"Who's he?" Velvet asked.

"This is Monk Gyatso the greatest Airbender in the world. He taught me everything I know." Aang said as he bows to the statue.

 _ **Flashback**_

 _Monk Gyatso is holding a giant spatula with a cake on it and he just pulled it out an oven._

 _"But the true secret..." Monk Gyatso stops talking as he bends air making a colorful filling in the middle of the cake. "...Is the gooey center." Gyatso said but he sees Aang sitting on an edge not paying attention and Aang lets out a big sigh. "My ancient cake making technique isn't the only thing on your mind, is it, Aang?"_

 _"It's this whole Avatar thing...maybe the monks made a mistake." Aang said._

 _"The only mistake they made was telling you before you turned sixteen, but we can't concern ourselves with what WAS. We must act on what IS." Gyatso said showing Aang the temple full of flying bison and other Airbenders having a happy life._

 _"But, Monk Gyatso, how do I know if I'm ready for this?" Aang asked._

 _"Your questions will be answered when you are old enough to enter the Air Temple Sanctuary. Inside, you will meet someone who will guide you on your journey." Gyatso said making Aang excited._

 _"Who?" Aang asked._

 _"When you are ready, he will reveal himself to you." Gyatso said making Aang sigh. "Now, are you going to help me with these cakes or not?" Gyatso asked._

 _"Okay." Aang said._

 _Aang and Gyatso get into their Airbending stance facing the cakes on the wall and they both create airballs._

 _"One...two...THREE!" Gyatso said as the two release their airballs sending the cakes in the air and they fall down at the four meditating Air Monks and the cakes land on each of them while winged lemurs come and start eating the cakes and Aang and Gyatso laugh. "Your aiming has improved, my great pupil." Gyatso said as the two bow to each other._

 ** _Flashback ends._**

Aang bows to the statue of Gyatso just he like did to the real Gyatso. Velvet walks over and places her hand on Aang's shoulder.

"You must really miss him." Velvet said.

"Yeah." Aang said as he goes into the temple.

"Where are you going?" Katara asked.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary. I'm ready to meet someone." Aang answered.

Velvet, Katara, and Sokka shrug at each other and they follow Aang inside the temple and while going through they stop at a giant wooden door with three air symbols in a triangular pattern and attached to tubes at the end.

"But, Aang...no one could have survived in there for a hundred years." Katara said.

"I survived in that iceberg for that long. It's not impossible." Aang said.

"He has a valid point." Velvet said. "And I have been in that crystal for who knows how long."

"Whoever's in there might help me with this Avatar thing." Aang said.

"And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious meats!" Sokka said eagerly as he runs to the door but the door doesn't open resulting in Sokka hitting his own head.

"Wow. I was right. He IS simpleminded." Velvet said still annoyed.

"Shut up, Velvet!" Sokka said as he tries to push the door open but still it wasn't opening and Sokka gives up.

"Nimrod." Velvet mumbled.

"I don't suppose you have a key to this thing." Sokka said.

"The key, Sokka...is Airbending." Aang said as he gets into his Airbending stance, takes a deep breath, and then Airbends two jets of air from each arm into the tubes and one by one flips the air symbols from blue to red and each turn flips another mechanism on the outside of the door unlocking it and the door opens revealing a darkened area which leads to the Air Temple Sanctuary. "Hello! Anyone home?" Aang called as he walks into the dark room.

"Come on." Velvet said as she, Katara, and Sokka follow him into the sanctuary.

Meanwhile back at Zhao's tent Zhao crosses in front of Zuko who is seated with an angry look and Zhao's guards are behind him.

"So a twelve-year-old boy and some black haired girl who is an Arte user with a demonic arm who could make four men disappear, both defeated you and your Firebenders? You're more pathetic than I thought." Zhao said.

"I underestimated them once, but that won't happen again." Zuko said.

"No, it won't. Because you won't have a second chance." Zhao said.

"Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and..." Zuko was cut off by Zhao.

"And you failed!" Zhao said. "Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands and if this girl is an Arte user, one of the Fire Nations worst enemies, then I'm sure she would prove to be quite an excellent challenge for me...unlike you." Zhao said and Zuko was about to charge but the guards behind quickly restrain him. "Keep him there." Zhao ordered as he leaves the tent and Zuko kicks at a small table with anger.

"More tea please." Iroh said.

Meanwhile Aang, Velvet, Katara, and Sokka enter the sanctuary and inside are statues arrayed in patterns and the pattern is tied to a swirl pattern with statues lined up along it and they walk over to the statues while going to the center of the room.

"That's it? Just statues? Where's the meat?" Sokka asked.

"Shut up about food already! It's killing my brain cells." Velvet mumbled.

"But I'm sooooo hungry." Sokka replied.

"Hungry and stupid." Velvet said making Sokka glare at her as she walks over to a statue. "Who are all these people?"

"I don't know, but it feels like I know them somehow." Aang said and he sees another statue. "Hey look! This one is an Airbender!"

"And the one next to it is a Waterbender!" Katara said. "They're all lined up in a pattern. Air, water, earth, and fire."

"The Avatar Cycle!" Aang said.

"Of course! They're Avatars! All these people are your past lives, Aang!" Katara said.

"That's a lot of past lives you have, Aang." Velvet said.

"You actually believe in that stuff, Katara?" Sokka asked.

"It's true. When the Avatar dies, he's reincarnated to the next nation of the cycle." Katara said.

"So if Aang dies, someone from the Water Tribe would be the next Avatar?" Velvet asked.

"Yes." Katara answered.

"Sounds like an method how to become a Seraph, but no one knows the exact ones." Velvet said.

Aang then stops in front of a statue of a Fire Nation Avatar and while Aang looks at it a light passes over the statue's eyes, Velvet walks over to Aang and starts shaking him.

"Aang. Aang, snap out of it." Velvet called to him and Aang finally gets her attention.

"Huh?" Aang asked.

"Who's he?" Velvet asked.

"That's Avatar Roku and he's the Avatar before me." Aang answered.

"You were a Firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we met." Sokka said.

"There's no writing. How do you know his name?" Katara asked.

"I don't know. I guess I just know." Aang answered.

"You couldn't get ANY weirder!" Sokka said.

"For your information, Sokka, I've dealt with weird things too so don't you even judge." Velvet said.

"Then you BOTH couldn't get any weirder." Sokka said and Velvet punched him in the face.

Just then they hear something and they see a long eared shadow coming toward them so they go hiding in three different statues. Aang and Katara hide behind the left while Sokka hides behind the right while Velvet hides behind the middle and the shadow advances between the statues.

"Firebender. No one make a sound!" Sokka said but Aang, Velvet, and Katara shush him.

The shadow keeps moving to the three statues the four are hiding and it's revealing to be a shadow of something small and when Sokka gets his weapon ready he jumps out of the statue and prepares to attack and Aang, Velvet, and Katara get out as well to look and they see that the tiny shadow figure is just a little winged lemur looking at them with wide eyes making the four blink at the lemur and his long ears flop down as the four keep staring at it.

"That's not a Firebender." Velvet said amused.

"Lemur!" Aang said.

"Dinner!" Sokka said drooling.

"Don't you listen to him. You're gonna be my new pet." Aang said.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka said as he lunges at the lemur but Aang also lunges making the lemur scream and dash out of the room.

"Come back!" Aang said as he runs after the lemur.

"No you don't!" Sokka said as he runs after them.

The lemur keeps running through the long hallway and it sees Aang and Sokka run through the hallway after it and both take turns leading and when Sokka tries to swipe at Aang he dodges and runs along the wall with his Airbending and passes him while laughing and as he gets off the wall Aang makes an airball and throws it at Sokka getting him and making him fall down.

After Sokka fell Aang keeps running through the hallway and he sees the lemur reaching the end of it showing the balcony and when the lemur turns back to see Aang running after it still it jumps off but Aang jumps off the balcony after it and he looks at the long fall and he bounces from rocks to rocks while laughing still as he falls to keep chasing the lemur and after Sokka gets up he arrives at the balcony and he sees Aang jumping off rocks from beneath and falling as well.

"Hey! No fair!" Sokka said.

"Wow. This is just...I don't even know what to say about this." Velvet said.

"At least Aang is having fun." Katara said.

"Too much fun." Velvet said as they start giggling.

Meanwhile at Zhao's tent Zhao arrives back inside and he sees Zuko and Iroh sitting on the chairs.

"My search party is ready. Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you will be free to go." Zhao said.

"Why? Are you worried that I'll try to stop you?" Zuko asked but Zhao just scoffs.

"YOU? Stop ME? Laughable." Zhao said and Zuko stands up.

"Do not underestimate me, Zhao! I WILL capture the Avatar and the Arte user before YOU!" Zuko said.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough." Iroh said.

"You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command and you...you're just a banished prince. No home and no allies. Your own father doesn't even want you." Zhao said.

"You're wrong! Once I deliver the Avatar and the Arte user to my father, he'll welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne!" Zuko said.

"If your father really wanted you home, he'd let you return by now. Avatar, Arte user, both or none. In his eyes, you're a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation." Zhao said.

"That's not true!" Zuko yelled.

"You have the scar to prove it." Zhao said.

"Maybe you'd like one to match!" Zuko replied getting to Zhao's face.

"Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked.

"An Agni Kai...at sunset!" Zuko said.

"Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do." Zhao said as he walks away.

"Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened when you dueled a master?" Iroh asked.

"I will NEVER forget." Zuko answered as he places his hand on his burned scar.

Meanwhile Aang keeps chasing the lemur while still falling and the lemur lands on the ground and Aang lands as well and keeps going after the lemur who goes into a tent.

"Hey! Come back!" Aang said as he enters the tent. "Come out, little lemur. That hungry guy won't bother you anymore." Aang said as he goes into another part of the tent and as he looks around he gasps as he sees armor and skeletons all over. "Firebenders? They were here?" Aang asked and then he finds another skeleton which is a skeleton of an Air Monk at the end and it has an Airbender necklace and Aang recognizes it. "Gyatso..." Aang said sadly as he falls to his knees and starts crying and then Sokka enters the tent.

"Hey, Aang. Did you find my dinner?" Sokka asked and he sees Aang crying. "Aang, I wasn't really gonna eat the lemur." Sokka said but then he sees the skeleton of Gyatso and he's shocked by this. "Oh, man...c'mon, Aang. It'll be alright. Let's get out of here." Sokka said as he places his hand on Aang's shoulder.

Aang's arrows and eyes start to glow and he makes an angry face and starts lifting in the air shocking Sokka.

Meanwhile Velvet and Katara are still in the sanctuary looking at the Avatar statues and when Velvet looks at the statue of Roku its eyes start glowing shocking Velvet and the same thing is happening to the other Avatar statues and their eyes are glowing.

"What's going on?" Velvet asked.

"Aang!" Katara said as the two girls run out.

While this is happening different temples from around the world which are the Water Temple, Earth Temple, and Fire Temple start glowing responding to Aang's Avatar Spirit and in the Fire Temple an old sage looks at the glowing going on and he runs to another old sage.

"Send word to the Fire Lord immediately! The Avatar has returned!" The old Fire Sage said and the other Fire Sage runs out.

Back at the ten Aang surrounds himself with a whirlwind and the air is swirling around the bones and Aang clenches his fists still angry at Gyatso's death and his eyes and arrows are still glowing while Sokka is still with him and he's seeing this awe and fear.

"Aang! Come on! Snap out of it!" Sokka said but a blue energy sphere surrounds Aang and it expands knocking Sokka out of the building.

The energy keeps expanding until it blows up the tent leaving smoke and debris in the air and Sokka lands outside the building and he hides behind rubble and he sees Aang being covered by the energy and the maelstrom and as this is happening Velvet and Katara arrive at where Sokka is and they hide in the rubble as well shielding themselves from the terrible wind.

"What's happening?" Velvet asked.

"Aang found out that the Firebenders killed Gyatso." Sokka answered.

"Oh, no! He's in his Avatar Spirit! He must have triggered it!" Katara said.

"Someone has to calm him down! I'll do it!" Velvet said and got out her demonic arm to stuck it into the ground.

"I'll help!" Katara said, taking Velvet's normal arm to make sure she don't blow away.

"Hurry before he throws us off the mountain!" Sokka said as he's still holding onto rubble to try and not get blown away as well.

Velvet and Katara slowly approach Aang while struggling against the wind and they see Aang is still in the air with the energy still around him.

Meanwhile in a Fire Nation arena both Zuko and Zhao kneel away from each other getting ready for battle and Iroh is with Zuko.

"Remember your Firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your weapons." Iroh said.

"I refuse to let him win." Zuko said as he stands up while taking off his shoulder wrap and it falls to the ground and Zhao does the same thing with him standing up and his shoulder wrap falls as well and they face each other.

"This will be over quickly." Zhao said.

As the gong rings the two get into their Firebending stances and Zuko fires his first shot at Zhao who avoids it and Zuko fires again but Zaho avoids again and Zuko fires more fire at Zhao who blocks each fire and smirks making Zuko furious and he runs toward Zhao and unleashes more fire from his hands and feet but Zhao dodges or blocks them all and then Zhao crouches forward and shoots his flames to the ground close to Zuko.

"Basics, Zuko! Break his roots!" Iroh said.

Zhao throws a volley of flames at Zuko who blocks each flame but he's backing slowly and forcefully and Zhao uses one last volley of flame from his hands knocking Zuko over and sending him backwards to the dirt and Zhao takes a flying jump at Zuko and Zuko tries to get up but Zhao fires right at him and lands but Zuko rolls out of the way just in time and he is getting up sweeps Zhao's feet out from under him and Zuko lands on his feet and he makes a small smile and he advances toward Zhao and uses his feet to produce small waves of flames that rush to him causing Zhao to lose his balance and wobbles slowly backwards and Iroh sees this as he makes a hopeful expression and he smiles and Zuko keeps bending fire at Zhao's feet until Zuko blasts at Zhao sending him flat on the ground and Zuko rushed up to him and gets ready to deal with the final blow but makes his decision.

"Do it!" Zhao said and Zuko unleashes a blast and it misses showing a burnt hole on the ground next to Zhao who looks flabbergasted. "That's it? Your father raised a coward!"

"Next time you get in my way, I won't hold back." Zuko said as he starts to walk away.

Zhao gets up and lets out a howl of anger and he outstretches his foot with covered in fire he made and was about to get Zuko but then the flame was extinguished and a hand grabs Zhao's foot and it shows Iroh getting between the two and stopping Zhao's attack and they remain frozen until Iroh throws Zhao back to the ground with little effort and then Zuko rushes over to avenge the insult but then a hand is placed on Zuko's shoulder.

"Don't do it, Zuko. Don't taint your victory." Iroh said and looks at Zhao. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? How disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you." Zuko was shocked to hear this. "Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious." He said as he and Zuko walk away.

"You really mean that, Uncle?" Zuko asked.

"Of course. I told you ginseng tea was my favorite." Iroh said as the two walks back to the ship.

Meanwhile Aang is still in mid-air and the ball of energy is still around him and the storm continues to rage as Velvet, Katara, and Sokka keep holding on to rubble.

"Aang, I know you're upset! I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I lost my whole village, my whole family right before my eyes. Under those three years I've been in the depths of darkness, I meet people that helped me realize that anger and hatred isn't everything. Monk Gyatso and the other Airbenders might be gone, but you still have a family too. We're your family now and nobody can change that." Velvet said as she tries to touch Aang's wrist, Aang starts to calm himself and he starts to descend and he touches the ground, the wind dies away and his eyes and arrows are still glowing. Velvet transformed her arm back and hugs him, Katara and Sokka run at his side. "You remind me of that very person who got back pieces of my kind personality from those days. So, I won't let anything happen to you." She's still hugging Aang as his eyes and arrows aren't glowing anymore and he's tired.

"I'm sorry...Velvet." Aang said.

"You don't have to apologize for anything. It's not your fault." Velvet said.

"But Katara was right. If the Firebenders found this temple, then that means they found the other ones too. I really am the LAST Airbender." Aang said and Velvet holds Aang tighter while Katara also hugs Aang.

They return to the sanctuary and Aang stands in front of Avatar Roku and Velvet walks to him.

"We're getting ready to leave." Velvet said.

"How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang asked.

"You'll find a way." Velvet said.

They then hear something and they turn to see the winged lemur again entering the room and it sees the four and it walks over to Sokka and gives him fruits and nuts and Sokka begins to eat them as the lemur quickly dashes away and the three smile at this.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Sokka." Aang said.

"Can't talk. Must eat." Sokka said as he's stuffing his face.

"He's hopeless, but at least he'll shut up about food now." Velvet said pinching her nose and the lemur runs to Aang.

"Hey, little guy." Aang said.

Everyone heads outside and Aang, Appa, and the lemur look at the temple.

"You, me, and Appa. We're all what's left of this place. We have to stick together. Guys..." Aang walks over to the three. "...Say hello to the newest member of the family." Aang said.

"He's so cute." Katara said. "What're you gonna name him?" The lemur jumps off of Aang and grabs a peach from Sokka and returns to Aang.

"Momo." Aang said and he, Velvet, and Katara laugh while Sokka is shocked that his fruit is gone.

* * *

Two days later after the group had left, a boy and a girl arrived at the Air Temple. The boy have brown hair, which is slightly shifted to the right. He also have green eyes and wear yellow feather earrings. His attire consists of a blue shirt with white gloves, black pants with white boots, and a large white cape that extends over his chest.

The girl have shoulder-length, dark red hair and blue eyes. She wears a red-and-pink thigh-length tunic with a V-shaped neckline, a brown belt around her waist, and wears a white and black jacket with gold pins over a pale pink bolero. The rest of her attire consists of white pants, brown heeled boots with gold ornaments, and two pink ribbons wrapped around her legs near her boots. She also wears a yellow scarf, and a green cord hangs down from her knives' sheaths.

"Wow..." The boy gasped in amazement. "This temple is really big. I wonder what made it so abandon?"

"You're right, Sorey. This place should be filled with people of the wind here." The girl said.

"There's two temples, one in the south and one in the west." Another voice said and a boy with very light blue hair, almost silver, and lavender eyes. He wears a blue shirt and cape with white and gold embellishments. Beneath his bangs, he wears a golden circlet with a green gem in the middle. His pants are white, apart from the ends, which are blue, walks up to Sorey. "If this is abandon, we might find when it happened and get a few clues about the person who posses all four elements of nature."

"The last one was born in the land of fire, so he should be in this temple but..." Sorey said sad. Behind the three were three other people, two females and one male.

One of the females have fairly short blond hair, which becomes a brighter yellow toward the tips. There is a black-headband in her hair, and her side ponytail is tied with a green ribbon. She has blue eyes, and on her neck, she wears a black-ribboned necklace with a small, hanging jewel. She wears a short yellow and white dress with a big flowery bow on the back. She also wears a single brown glove wrapped in the same ribbon used to tie her hair on her right hand. She has big brown boots with buckles and yellow ribbons wrapped around her legs. In her hands is an umbrella.

The other female have long silver hair with hints of green and red that is tied back in a high ponytail behind a red and gold headband. She has green eyes and wears a long-sleeved, red, white, black, and lavender dress. She wears red and white heels with ribbons that wrap around her legs. Her shoes and dress are decorated with green gems.

The male have long white hair that changes to green at the tips, orange eyes, and a tanned complexion. He has a muscular build and does not wear a shirt, revealing white tattoos across his arms and torso, as well as an necklace made of beads, silver rings, and what appears to be strips of leather. He wears black pants decorated with simple stripes similar to his tattoos and two silver gun holsters on his belt. He also was wearing a black hat.

"Yeah, it's fairly strange for an Air Temple to be abandon as the only way to the top is by flying or an use of an Wind Arte." The white haired woman said.

"They probably got ambushed some time ago or something else." The blonde girl said, opening her umbrella to place it on her shoulder. The white haired woman noticed that the man with them were in thought.

"Is something wrong, Zavied?" She asked.

"This presence. Could it really be her after all these years." The man, Zavied, mumbled in both relief and confusion. He began to walk away from the group, which everyone noticed and followed him. They arrived at the ruined building where Gyasto's skeleton was. Zavied was on one knee looking down on big claw mark. "So, you were really here."

"Judging by the skeleton, the people of the wind was killed under a battle." The white haired boy said looking at Gyasto. The red haired girl walked up to Zavied and looked at the claw mark.

"Whoever did this must be the one making this mark." She said.

"No, the person who did this mark would never do such a thing..." Zavied explained serious. "Even if she did, there would be nothing left."

"Why would you say that?" Sorey asked.

"Because this person was one of both mine and Eizen's old friends. She's nether human or Seraph." Zavied continued and shocked everyone, mostly the blonde girl.

"She knew my brother..." The blonde girl said.

"Yeah, Edna, more than you think." Zavied said and stood up. "Looks like I have a reason to come with you know. I must tell her what had happened."

They all looked up to the sky to see the sun going down.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Velvet:** Aang, I know how it feels to know what happened to someone close to you.

 **Aang:** Like with your brother and how he was sacrificed?

 **Velvet:** Yeah, the person who killed him taught me how to fight and loved my older sister, Serika. The same thing happened to her but she was sacrificed by accident.

 **Aang:** How old were you when it happened?

 **Velvet:** I was six when Serika died and sixteen the time I got my arm like this...

 **Aang:** Next time: The Warriors of Kyoshi.

 **Velvet:**...

* * *

 **The meaning with the skits is actually inspired by Tales of Zestiria The X anime at the end and thought why not have it in my story as an preview for what's coming next. It is a small conversation that they have between the story parts.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 4**

 **The Warriors of Kyoshi**

Zuko's ship is moving through the water and Zuko himself is in his quarters sitting in a lotus position in front of an alter with his eyes closed and is meditating and four white candles that are burning are in front of him and the candles' light are increasing and decreasing due to Zuko's breathing and while Zuko is meditating and concentrating the door opens showing Iroh.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have any news about the Avatar or the Arte user." Zuko said with his eyes still closed as he heard Iroh come in.

"Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Do not get upset when I say this." Iroh said.

"Uncle, you taught me that having a level head is a sign of a good leader. Whatever it is you have to say, I can take it." Zuko said.

"Okay then...we don't know where we are." Iroh said.

"WHAT?!" Zuko asked in rage as the four candles flare to the ceiling and he stands up and faces Iroh with an angry face while Iroh turns away from the flames and protects himself with a fan in one hand and a map in the other.

"You should open a window in here." Iroh said.

"Let me see the map!" Zuko said and Iroh gives the map to him and he looks at it.

"There have been multiple sightings on the Avatar and the Arte user, but they're impossible to track down." Iroh said.

"How are we supposed to track them down?" Zuko asked as he keeps looking at the map showing red Xs and dotted lines connecting to the sightings and the lines zigzag all over the landmass. "They are masters of evasive maneuvering."

Meanwhile Appa is flying through the sky again and Katara is sewing a garment while Sokka sits back and Velvet reading the Celestial Record. Sokka sighed

"You have no idea where we're going, do you?" Sokka asked Aang who is holding Appa's reins.

"Well, I know it's near water." Aang said and sees an endless body of water.

"I guess we're getting close then." Sokka said sarcastically.

As they keep flying Aang looks at Katara who is still sewing and Aang smiles.

"Momo, marbles please." Aang said, Momo searches into Aang's clothes and he gets marbles for Aang. "Katara, check this out!" Aang said as he suspends the marbles between his two hands and they whirl around in midair and grinning but Katara who is still sewing doesn't look at it.

"That's great, Aang." Katara said still sewing.

"You didn't look." Aang said as he stops and Katara looks at him now.

"That's great!" Katara said.

"But I'm not doing it now." Aang said.

"Stop bugging Katara, Airhead. You need to give girls space when they do their sewing." Sokka said, making Katara stop sewing and Velvet slammed her book shut before the two look at Sokka annoyed.

"What does Katara being a girl have to do with sewing?" Velvet asked, trying to maintain calm.

"Simple, girls are better at sewing and fixing stuff than guys and guys are better at fighting and hunting. It's a natural order of things." Sokka said.

"For your information, I was one of the strongest in my team and able to fight without breaking a sweat." Velvet said becoming more irritated by the minute.

"You doesn't count! Only girls from our lands does." Sokka said and Velvet became more angry, making her arm slowly blaze with crimson and black energy scaring Sokka a bit.

"Hey, Sokka! I'm all done with your pants! Look what a great job I did!" Katara said sarcastically as she throws Sokka's pants at him.

"Wait! I was actually kidding! I can't wear these!" Sokka said as he sticks his arm through the hole in the bottom of his pants.

"Don't worry, Sokka. Where we're going, you won't need any pants." Aang said.

Aang then pulls the reins and makes Appa go downward to a crescent shaped island and Appa lands on the beach and everyone gets off.

"Aang, we just made a pit stop yesterday. Should we get a little more flying done before we camp out?" Sokka asked.

"For once, I agree with Sokka. At this rate, we won't be able to get to the North Pole until spring." Velvet said.

"What do you mean you agree with me FOR ONCE?" Sokka asked.

"Because I don't like your attitude and you irritate me." Velvet said pissed.

"But Appa's tired already, aren't you, boy?" Aang asked but Appa doesn't respond. "I said aren't you, boy?" Aang asked again nudging Appa who yawns even though he's not tired.

"Yeah. That was REAL convincing." Sokka said. "Still, hard to argue with a ten ton magical monster."

"Whatever." Velvet said, Aang looks at something and gets excited.

"LOOK!" Aang said pointing at a giant koi fish jumping out of the water. "That's why we're here!" Aang said as he strips off his clothes and is now in his underwear. "That's an elephant koi and I'm gonna ride it. Katara, you gotta watch me!" Aang said as he dives into the water but then he jumps out with a shocked face. "COLD!" Aang said making the others look at each other.

Aang is then swimming out to the bay and he dives underwater and manages to catch an elephant koi and the giant fish jumps out of the water while Aang starts riding it on its back while he holds onto its dorsal fin and the elephant koi dives back into the water taking Aang with it and Katara is watching Aang and she's both interested and excited.

"Woooo!" Katara called.

"Yeeeeaaaah! WOOOOOO!" Aang said laughing as he keeps riding the koi fish.

Two more koi fish follow the koi fish Aang is still riding on and they all leap out of the water and dive underwater and everyone is still watching this and Momo is jumping up and down.

"He's pretty good out there." Velvet said.

"Are you kidding? The fish is doing all the work." Sokka said.

"I don't see YOU riding on the koi fish, Mister Guys-Are-Better-Than-Girls." Velvet said earning a glare from Sokka and Katara giggles at Velvet's comment but then she turns to see Appa.

"No, Appa! Don't eat that!" Katara said running to Appa.

Aang who is still riding on the elephant koi smiles at Katara who is running to Appa and then Aang's smile turns into a frown noticing that Katara isn't watching him.

"Aw, man." Aang said sadly.

The three elephant koi fish are swimming on the surface of the water and go to the right but then a shadow appears underneath them and Velvet notices this happening.

"There's something in the water!" Velvet said.

The two koi fish try to leap out of the water but they were pulled under while Aang is still riding on his koi fish something appears behind him and everyone sees this and are distressed.

"Oh, no! It's gonna get Aang!" Sokka said.

"Aang! Watch out!" Velvet called.

"What's going on?" Katara asked coming back.

"Aang's in trouble! AANG!" Sokka called.

"COME BACK HERE, AANG!" Katara called.

While Aang is still riding on his fish he sees everyone still on the shore waving at him and yelling but Aang waves back not aware of their warnings but just then his koi fish bucks and sends Aang to the bay and he comes out after being in the water and is gasping for air and then a giant fin rises to the surface behind him and as Aang was swimming back to the others he turns slowly to see what's following him and he panics and screams and so he keeps going back to the shore but the giant fin follows after him and it gains up but Aang manages to reach the shore running headfirst at full force into the sand. Everyone sees the giant fin going back into the water losing interest in Aang and they run to where Aang was. Aang was putting his clothes back on.

"What was that thing?" Katara asked.

"I don't know." Aang said.

"It didn't look like a Hellion at least." Velvet proclaimed.

"We'd best not stay here and find out. We must continue with our objective." Sokka said and everyone nods.

Just then green clad warriors fall on Aang, Katara and Sokka. The first warrior grabs Sokka from behind while the second warrior pulls Katara's hood over her head. The third warrior grabs Aang's shirt while the forth warrior trap Momo in a sack. When Velvet got into her battle stance to fight them but she noticed they didn't pay attention to her like if she was invisible, she looked at herself and didn't noticed anything strange on her. Everyone else was thrown to the ground while being bound and blindfolded and the green clothed warriors that attacked them circle around them and captured them. As they walked away, Velvet followed them but to be sure they couldn't see her, she hide behind trees every now and then.

"Or we could stay a while..." Sokka said in defeat.

In a village the green clothed warriors tie the gang against a pole and they are still blindfolded while Momo was still in a sack by Aang's feet.

"You three have some explaining to do." Someone said and it's a white haired man.

"And if you don't answer all our questions, we're throwing you back to the water with the unagi." A female voice said.

"Show yourselves, cowards!" Sokka said.

"We're blindfolded, you idiot." Katara said.

The warriors remove the gang's blindfolds and they see green clothed females with white and red face paint and carrying fans around their waists at the man's side.

"Who are you and where are all the men who ambushed us?" Sokka asked.

"There are no men. WE ambushed you. Now tell us who you are and what you're doing here." The female that talked before said.

"Wait...there's NO way a bunch of girls ambushed us!" Sokka said laughing. The first female grabs Sokka's shirt.

"A bunch of girls, huh? The unagi's gonna eat well tonight." The first female said.

"No! Don't hurt him! He didn't mean that! My brother's just an idiot sometimes." Katara said.

"It's my fault. I'm sorry we came here. I just wanted to ride the elephant koi." Aang said.

"How do we know you're not Fire Nations spies? Kyoshi stayed out of war so far and we intend to keep it that way!" The man said.

"This island is named after Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" Aang said but the man scoffs.

"How can you possibly know her? Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred years ago. She's been dead for centuries." The man said.

Everyone then notices the pole they are still tied against is actually the base of Avatar Kyoshi's statue and she's dressed just how the female warriors are dressed and has the same face paint on.

"Aang knows her because he's the Avatar." Katara said shocking the villagers, the warriors, and the man.

"Impossible! The last Avatar was an Airbender who disappeared a hundred years ago." Someone said among the villagers and it's a girl with red hair, blue eyes, and is wearing a midriff blue shirt and shorts, Aang smiles widely.

"That's me." Aang said.

"And Velvet is an Arte user." Sokka pointed out before noticing she wasn't there. "Wait, where is she?"

"An Arte user here in our lands, that's impossible!" The first female exclaimed. "Those people don't care about us. They only believe there own legends and for a thousand years ago those people invaded this island to just get the Seraphim that protected us and gave there blessing." Aang noticed Velvet standing right in front of the female without even noticing.

"But they're not like that anymore, we know someone from that very time and stopped it." Katara said.

"Suki, throw the impostors to the unagi!" The man said and the first female named Suki and the other warriors ready their fans and walk over to group.

"Aang, do some Airbending." Katara said.

Aang breaks free of his bonds and shoots himself in the air and back flips over to the top of Avatar Kyoshi's statue and then he floats gently down to the ground and the villagers watch him in amazement and Suki and the other warriors see this in awe as well and same for the man.

"It is true. You ARE the Avatar!" The man said.

"Velvet, how come they can not notice you?" Aang asked her.

"Finally can someone see me, it's probably because of being startled when they attacked." Velvet said flustered. She walked to where Sokka and Katara was, unknowing that she made herself visible.

Suki dashed to attack Velvet, who dodged out of the way but got kicked back to the ground with the fan in front of her. Suki made a triumph smile but it slowly disappeared when Velvet smirked.

"War tactic No.4:..." Velvet whispered and got up on her hands, kicking Suki herself down. As Suki was getting up on her knees, Velvet had her gauntlet blade at her. "'Don't drop your guard even if you're confident of your victory'." Velvet took in the blade and holds out her hand, which Suki takes and gets helped up.

"Thank you, wait you're an Arte user?" Suki questioned. Velvet crossed her arms.

"I should let you know that I stopped those people to ever do that again, my people is not what they used to be." Velvet said.

"Then can you teach us those war tactics of yours as an apology?" Suki asked and Velvet nodded.

"Do you now believe us?" Sokka asked and everyone nods.

"Great. Now check THIS out!" Aang said taking his marbles from before and he does the same spinning marbles in the air trick he did for Katara and Sokka face palms at this but the villagers cheer at this and jump for joy and a villager screams like a girl and gets too excited and starts having foam in his mouth and he faints. Velvet giggled over Aang's childish behavior.

Later on a small girl runs eagerly to a fisherman who is lifting his catch.

"Did you hear? The Avatar and an Arte user are on Kyoshi Island." The little girl said and the fisherman is shocked to hear this.

The fisherman then gives the information to a merchant while handing him the basket of fish and the merchant goes to his shop and tells a man who is wearing Fire Nation clothing the same information while selling him a fish and the man who turns out to be Zuko's cook arrives at Zuko's ship and arrives at his quarters and serves him and Iroh the cooked fish and he tells Zuko the same information while serving him and Zuko stands up.

"The Avatar and the Arte user are on Kyoshi Island?! Uncle, ready the rhinos. They're not getting away from me this time." Zuko said as he walks away.

"Are you going to finish that?" Iroh asked pointing at the fish and Zuko comes back.

"I was just saving it for later!" Zuko answered as he takes the fish and leaves, Iroh crosses his arms and pouts like a four-year-old.

Meanwhile it's morning in the village of Kyoshi island and two villagers are attending to the statue of Avatar Kyoshi and one villager is painting a fresh coat of paint while the other villager is scrubbing dirt off and everything is being quiet and peaceful in the village with the villagers enjoying their day on the main street and a house is shown with Appa outside and he's being cared for by two other villagers by cleaning his fur and he's grunting happily and inside the house are Aang, Katara and Momo being seated on a long wooden table next to a large window showing the statue of Avatar Kyoshi being cleaned and the table has different eighteen plates of food and it was the villagers who places them on the table.

"Alright! Dessert for breakfast!" Aang cheered as he start eating. "Man, these people sure know how to treat the Avatar! Mmm... Katara you've got to try these!" Aang hands Katara a pastry.

"Well, I guess just one bite." Katara said as she take the pastry and Momo quickly takes the other one Aang had.

"Hey, Sokka, what's your problem? Eat!" Aang said looking at Sokka who is sitting against a wall with an angry face.

"I'm not hungry." Sokka said.

"But you're always hungry!" Aang said.

"He's just mad because a bunch of GIRLS kicked his butt yesterday." Katara said.

"They snuck up on me!" Sokka said.

"Right and THEN they kicked your butt." Katara said smugly.

"Sneak attacks don't count! Tie me up with ropes! I'll show 'em a thing or two! I'm not scared of any girls!" Sokka said. "Tie me up with ropes! I'll show them a thing or two. I'm not scared of any girls." He has paced around to the breakfast table and is ferociously grabbing sweets off it. He begins to lower his voice and talks to himself. "Who do they think they are anyway?" Sokka grunts and shoves a sweet into his mouth. He walks out of the room. "Mmm... this is tasty."

"What's he so angry about? It's great here." Aang said taking another sweet. "They're giving us the royal treatment."

"Hey, don't get too comfortable." Katara said. "It's too risky for us to stay in one place for very long."

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Besides, did you see how happy I'm making this town?" Aang said, giving Momo another treat before turning to look at the statue. "They're even cleaning up that statue in my honor!"

"Well, it's nice to see you excited about being the Avatar. I just hope it doesn't all go to your head." Katara asked.

"Come on, you know me better than that. I'm just a simple monk." Aang said. He then walks over to the window and he looks down with shock and confusion that ground is full of fangirls screaming and cheering at him and he smiles at this and blushes while Katara crosses her arms and sticks her tongue out.

* * *

Meanwhile, Velvet was walking through the village looking around. A few children was running and playing around her. One of the kids was running in the direction where Velvet was and tripped, the fall was stopped by Velvet catching him.

"Be careful or else you'll hurt yourself." She said and the boy nodded. The boy took out an apple and handed it to her.

"Thank you, miss. This is for you!" The boy said before running to his friends. Velvet could only stare on the apple smiling.

"This is just like back then..." She whispered and walked away to where Suki and her warriors trains.

On a large red bridge over a small stream Aang runs back and forth over the bridge while being chased by his fangirls and after running back and forth he stops in the middle of the bridge and he jumps high into the air and the fangirls are on the bridge as well and wait for Aang to come back down but wondering what's taking so long they look up and see that Aang is on air scooter in the air but it then dissipates and he falls to the fangirls who hold him.

Aang is later standing with a little in front of a painter who puts his paintbrush up next to them to get their painting scene and he lifts his paper and start painting while blocking where Aang and the little girl are and when he puts his paper down to look again only to see two girls with Aang and o he decides to paint that and when he gets another look at them he see four more girls with Aang and he decides to paint that but when he looks again he sees every single girl around Aang and they laugh, the painter make an irritated look as he gets up and leaves and the girls fall on top of Aang and it's a pile of laughter.

Aang is now doing push ups with six girls watching him and Momo is sitting on his back while the girls watch with admiration, Aang later does one handed push ups and he later puts both his hands behind his back and uses his air breath to push himself up and down making the girls giggle while Aang is still doing Airbending push ups, Katara rolls her eyes as she walk past them carrying a basket.

Meanwhile Velvet arrived at the small building where the warriors trained, she leaned against one of the walls outside and took a bite of the apple. Velvet suddenly got shocked and brought her hand to her mouth.

 _'How is it possible! I can feel how it taste now.'_ Velvet exclaimed in her head. _'Maybe being in that sphere was a good thing, it made me more human now.'_ Velvet then noticed that Sokka was walking towards her.

"Are you still trying to prove that boys are better than girls?" Velvet said, Sokka was muttering to himself about 'girls'. The two walk up to the door and both look inside. The fan warriors are drilling. Sokka grins, puts up his hands, and enters the dojo.

"Sorry ladies! Didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson." Sokka said in an arrogant manner that made Velvet a little angry as she walked in. "I was just looking for somewhere to get a little workout?" Sokka bends over and grabs his knees with his hands.

"Well, you're in the right place." Suki said and walked over to Velvet. "Listen, I'm sorry we attacked you guys the other day. We didn't know you were an Arte user and that you were traveling with the Avatar."

"There's no need to apologize." Velvet said.

"May I ask you something, how come we didn't see you back there?" Suki asked and this made Velvet nervous.

"It's very complicated." Velvet said unsure.

"Okay, Arte-" Suki was cut off by Velvet.

"Velvet, please call me that." She said and Suki nodded. Suki then turned to Sokka.

"Can we help you?" Suki asked irritated.

"Well, normally I was gonna hold a grudge against you about yesterday, but seeing as you guys are a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception." Sokka said.

"I'm sorry for his irritated behavior." Velvet said.

"That's okay. I should watch out for him. I mean a big strong man like him? We probably wouldn't stand a chance." Suki said.

"That's true, but don't feel bad. I'm just a better warrior in my village." Sokka said.

"Wow. The best warrior in your WHOLE village? Give us a demonstration." Suki said.

"Oh...well...I...uh..." Sokka stops.

"Go ahead, Sokka. Show them how YOU'RE better than THEM." Velvet said amused.

"What do you girls say? Would you like to see his moves?" Suki asked, the female warriors giggle and nod.

"Okay. I will. Just stand right there and I'll strike, but TRY to block." Sokka said as he tries to punch but Suki blocks with her fan and thrusts at his shoulder making Velvet smirk. "Of course, I was going easy on you." Sokka said rubbing his shoulder.

"OF COURSE you were." Suki said sarcastically.

"See if you can handle THIS!" Sokka said as he tries to lunge at her but Suki catches him under his leg and tosses him backwards toward the door and he lands on his butt. "That's it!" Sokka said as he tries to lunge at her again but Suki grabs his arm and spins him around in circles until she ties his arm to his foot with his belt and she throws him to ground.

"Anything else you'd like to 'teach' us?" Suki asked laughing.

"Have you learned your lesson now?" Velvet said, placing a foot on Sokka's back. "If you don't, I going to make sure you do by devouring you."

"Yes...ma'am..." Sokka said with fear in his voice.

"You know how to scare people." Suki said.

"Being a person to be feared by the world a millennia ago and tried to make people avoid me." Velvet explained. "I know how to make people do what I told them. After all, I can fight without breaking a sweat."

"Without breaking a sweat? That's amazing. You can teach us how you fight." Suki said.

"Maybe but I use Artes so it will be a little harder, so I can only give you a few tips and tactics." Velvet said, she takes Sokka outside and when they're outside, Velvet unties Sokka and she hits him hard in the head. "Stay were you are until you're ready to apologize to Suki for insulting her." Velvet goes back inside the dojo and Sokka sighs as he sits down.

Meanwhile Aang is still with his fangirls and they're at the base of the statue of Avatar Kyoshi and they look at it.

"There she is. My past life." Aang said.

"Wow. You were pretty." One of the little girls said.

"I'll be right back." Aang said as he finds the others.

Katara was in the market place filling a basket with vegetables. Aang approaches her and taps her on the shoulder.

"Oh, good. You're here. Can you help us carry this back to the room? It's a little heavy." Katara said.

"I can't right now." Aang said.

"What do you mean you can't?" Katara asked.

"I promised the girls I'd give them a ride on Appa. Do you guys wanna come? It'll be fun." Aang said.

"Watching you show off for a bunch of girls doesn't sound fun to me." Katara said still picking up vegetables.

"Well, neither is carrying your basket." Aang replied.

"This isn't my basket. These supplies are for our trip. I told you, we have to leave Kyoshi soon." Katara said.

"I don't want to leave Kyoshi yet. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something I like about this place." Aang said and one of the little girls comes to Aang.

"What's taking so long, Aangy?" The little girl impatiently.

Aangy?" Katara asked flatly.

"Just a second, Koko." Aang said and the girl named Koko walks away.

"'Simple monk', huh? Didn't you promise you wouldn't let this stuff go to your head?" Katara asked.

"It didn't go to my head. I just think you're just jealous." Aang said.

"JEALOUS? Of what?" Katara asked annoyed.

"Jealous that I'm having much fun without you." Aang said.

"That's ridiculous!" Katara said.

"It is a little ridiculous, but I understand." Aang said. Katara looks angrily at Aang as they stand framed by the vegetable stand. She groans loudly, picks up the basket, and walks away from him.

Meanwhile Sokka is still outside kicking a stone and he walks over to the door and he sees Suki and the other female warriors training again while Velvet is watching this and giving them tips how they fight. Sokka sighs and decides to sallow his pride and enters the dojo and female warriors stop as they him enter making Suki disappointed.

"Hi, Suki." Sokka said.

"Here for another dance lesson?" Suki asked mocking Sokka.

"No...I...let me explain." Sokka said hesitantly.

"What?! Spit it out!" Suki said and Sokka looks at Velvet, who glares at him again making Sokka shake in fear again and he kneels to Suki.

"Will you teach me?" Sokka asked.

"Even if I'm a GIRL?" Suki asked.

"I'm sorry I insulted you earlier. It was wrong of me." Sokka said.

"We don't teach outsiders, let alone boys." Suki said.

"Please make an exception. I won't let you down." Sokka said.

"What do you think, Velvet?" Suki asked.

"I think he's learned his lesson about it doesn't matter what gender you are to be better at something." Velvet said. "Have you, Sokka?"

"Yes. I have." Sokka said.

"All right then, but you'll have to follow ALL our traditions." Suki said.

"Of course!" Sokka said.

"And she means ALL of them." Velvet said and Suki smirks.

Sokka is later wearing the green outfit and has the white face paint.

"Do I really have to wear this?" Sokka asked.

"Why? Does it make you feel girly?" Velvet asked and Sokka nods.

"It's a warrior's uniform. You should be proud. The silk threads symbolizes the brave blood that flows through our veins and the golden insignia represents the honor of the warrior's heart." Suki said.

"Bravery and honor." Sokka said.

"I'm going back to the others. See yah." Velvet said and walked away.

Meanwhile at the house where the gang are staying, Katara practices her Waterbending. Aang comes in the room.

"Hey, Katara, remember that unagi thing that almost got me yesterday?" Aang asked.

"Yeah." Katara answered not bothering to look at Aang after their first argument earlier.

"Well, I'm gonna ride it now. It's gonna be REAL dangerous." Aang said.

"Good for you." Katara said still not looking at Aang.

"You're not gonna stop me?" Aang asked.

"Nope. Have fun." Katara said.

"I will." Aang replied crossing his arms.

"Great." Katara said.

"I know it's great." Aang replied.

"I'm glad you know." Katara replied back.

"I'm glad you're glad." Aang replied back.

"Good!" Katara said.

"Fine!" Aang replied as he storms out of the room but he stops for a second to look at Katara who still isn't looking at him and is focusing on her Waterbending and he just walks out and Katara stops Waterbending and crosses her arms.

* * *

Meanwhile at the dojo Sokka and Suki circle each other with their fans in their hands.

"You're not gonna master it in one day. Even I'm not that good." Suki said as Sokka is losing his balance.

"I think I'm starting to get the hang of it." Sokka said as he's still training his moves and at the end of his set he accidentally throws his fan out of the window and it hits the tree and Suki sees the fans on the tree and then the snow from the tree branch falls and buries it.

"It's not about strength. Our technique is about using your opponents' force against them. Loosen up. Think of the fan as an extension of your arm." Suki said as she assumes her battle stance and Sokka makes a determined face. "Wait for an opening and then..." Suki lunges at Sokka who parries the thrust and knocks her off her feet and Suki is surprised and embarrassed while Sokka crosses his arms.

"Hmm." Sokka said as Suki gets back up.

"I fell on purpose to make you feel better!" Suki said and Sokka laughs.

"Admit it! I got you!" Sokka said pointing his finger at Suki who grabs his hand and bends it back painfully.

"It was a lucky shot. Do it again." Suki said and the two circle each other again.

"I'll go back to Aang and Katara, see yah." Velvet said and walked away.

Meanwhile Aang is in the water looking at his fangirls on the shore who are now waiting impatiently and are bored.

"What's taking so long?" Koko asked.

"It will come any second." Aang said. "Oh, I know. How about this?" Aang asked as he takes out his marbles and does the marbles spinning in the air trick again.

"Not that again. BORING!" One of the little girl said.

"Where's the unagi? It's getting late." Koko said as they get up and leave.

"Wait! Don't leave!" Aang said.

"Sorry, Aang. Maybe next time." Koko said as they leave the disappointed Aang but then he sees Katara arriving at the beach.

"Guys! You came!" Aang said.

"We wanted to see if you were alright. You had us worried." Katara said.

"I thought you didn't care back there." Aang said.

"I'm sorry." Katara said.

"Me too. I did let that attention go to my head. I was being a jerk." Aang said.

"Well, get out of the water before you catch a cold, ya big jerk!" Katara called smiling.

As Aang was on his way back to land the unagi appears behind him and catches him and while the unagi was rising Aang is kneeling on its tail and the unagi raises its head and starts spewing powerful water at Aang who leaps out of the way and gets one of the whiskers but the unagi shakes its head back and forth to try and get rid of Aang but Aang holds on as he's swinging back and forth in front of its mouth.

"Aang!" Katara said as Velvet arrive.

"What's happening?" Velvet asked.

"The unagi from before is getting Aang again." Katara answered.

The unagi keeps shaking its head and throws Aang into the water and he's now unconscious as he reaches the surface and the unagi rushes for him but Velvet rushes for him as well, she gets to Aang first and takes him to her arms as the unagi raises itself from the water and Velvet protects him with herself from the unagi but a ball of fire hits it, making the unagi dive back into the water with enough force to send the two flying to a small cavern and the unagi angrily shoots its water from its mouth and it sinks back into the water. Katara came running to them.

"You two okay?" Katara asked.

"That Arte..." Velvet said in a hushed voice. "That Arte was Seres'...how is that possible?"

"What's that?" Katara asked and Velvet looks up to see a ship coming to the island and she knows what that ship is.

"Zuko." Velvet growled.

The ship lands on the island and the prow opens showing Zuko on komodo-rhinos and his men are on others as well.

"I want the Avatar and the Arte user alive." Zuko said as he and the soldiers march to the island while the group hides in the cave.

"Aang, wake up." Katara said as she bends water out of Aang's mouth and he coughs.

"Guys...don't ride the unagi. Not...fun." Aang said.

"I'll keep that in mind." Velvet mumbled.

Back at the dojo Suki and Sokka are sparring and Sokka parries a thrust.

"Not bad." Suki said and Oyagi rushes to the dojo.

"Fire Nation has invaded our shores! Girls, come quickly!" Oyagi said and Suki and the other Kyoshi Warriors head out of the dojo.

"But I'm not a..." Sokka cut off and sighed. "Okay, fine." Sokka followed them.

Zuko and Aiko enter the town and the streets are empty and they search for who they're looking for.

"Come out, Avatar and Arte user! Neither of you can hide from me forever!" Zuko said. "Men, find them!" Zuko ordered and the soldiers start searching for the two.

As three rhinos move down the street of the village Suki and the other Kyoshi Warriors appear and attack Zuko's soldiers and Suki goes for Zuko and is about to land on him but makes his rhino swipe at Suki with its tail knocking her down and Zuko was about bend fire at her but Sokka gets in front of her and uses his fan to deflect the fire attack making Zuko fall off.

"I guess training's over." Sokka said.

Sokka, Suki, and the other Kyoshi Warriors approach Zuko but he spins around in a break dance fashion while sending out flames from his feet at the warriors and they successfully knock the warriors to the ground as Zuko gets back on his feet.

"Nice try, you two, but these little girls can't save you!" Zuko said.

"Who're you calling a little girl?" A voice asked, Zuko turns to see Velvet standing there, her eyes once again burning with fire.

"Finally." Zuko said.

Velvet charged to him with her gauntlet blade but had to get it back in because Zuko blasted fire at her which she dodged to the side. Velvet glides like if she was gliding in water as water appeared and wet Zuko and his troop.

"You're annoying me!" Zuko said. But then Aang arrive in a nick of time and unleashed a whirlwind at Zuko.

"Thanks." Velvet said a little tired.

"No problem." Aang said as he looks around the now burning town and he sees the statue of Avatar Kyoshi engulfed in flames and they see Katara coming to them. "Look at what I brought to this place."

"It's not your fault, Aang." Velvet said.

"Yes it is. These people got their town destroyed trying to protect you and me." Aang said.

"Then let's get out of here. Zuko will follow us if we leave Kyoshi Island. I know it's hard to run, but it's the only option." Katara said.

"I'll call Appa." Aang said.

Meanwhile the Kyoshi Warriors are still fighting against Firebenders and one of them throws her fan at a Firebender and knocks him out and during the fight Sokka and Suki are hiding behind a building.

"There's no time to say goodbye." Suki said.

"What about 'I'm sorry'?" Sokka asked.

"For what?" Suki asked.

"I treated you like a girl when I should've treated you like a warrior." Sokka said.

"I am a warrior, but I'm a girl too." Suki replied as she kisses Sokka on the cheek making Sokka blush. "Now go. We'll hold them off." Suki said as she runs back to battle and Sokka sees Appa waiting for him and so Sokka gets on board.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang said and Appa flies into the air, Zuko sees them leaving.

"Men! Back to the ship! Don't lose them!" Zuko said.

Appa is flying through the sky and Aang looks back at the burning village still upset that he had to leave and Velvet and Katara lean over to him.

"I know it's hard, but you did the right thing." Katara said.

"She's right. Zuko would have destroyed the whole village if we stayed for too long." Sokka said.

"They will be okay, Aang. We know it." Velvet said, Aang looks back at the village and he jumps off of Appa.

"Aang, what're you doing?!" Sokka asked as Aang is falling shocking all of them.

"AANG!" Katara shouted.

They watch in horror as Aang disappears into the water and several seconds later the unagi rises from the water, Aang is riding it while holding onto its whiskers and forces the unagi to head toward the burning village and Aang pulls the unagi's whiskers making it spew water over the village and the water starts to get rid of the fires Zuko and the soldiers had started including the statue of Avatar Kyoshi. Zuko and the Firebenders are now very wet from the water being unleashed and Zuko is very unhappy. Aang is on the back of the unagi seeing that Kyoshi Island is safe once again and Aang lets go of the unagi's whiskers and as the unagi rears its head Aang jumps off into the air and Appa swoops down just in time to grab Aang with his front paw and he continues to fly off. Oyagi watches the bison fly away and he smiles gratefully.

"Thank you, Avatar and Arte user Velvet." Oyagi said.

While Appa is still flying Aang climbs back on the saddle where the group was sitting waiting for him to come back.

"Now THAT'S how you ride an unagi." Aang said.

"Show off." Katara said.

"At least you saved the village like that. Good job, Aang." Katara said.

"Thanks." Aang said, he sees Velvet giving her a look that's about to give Aang a lecture. "I know what you're gonna say, Velvet. That was dangerous and stupid."

"Yes it was, but you still saved the village from burning to the ground. I'm glad you did it." Velvet said and Aang nods.

"I hope you don't do any crazy stunts as much as Aang does." Katara said.

"I can't promise that after all, I have done some crazy stuff already." Velvet said and noticed that Sokka was still wearing the warrior garments. "You can take off that outfit now, Sokka. You already realized that women can be strong as men."

"I'll take it off later." Sokka said.

"Why's he dressed like that anyway?" Katara asked.

"That's something you wouldn't understand." Velvet said.

"She's got ya there." Aang said.

While Appa is still flying off the fin of the unagi is shown still swimming around the water and everything is peaceful and calm again.

* * *

 _Preview skit._

 **Sokka:** I got to admit that girls are as strong as guys, but guys like me won't stop.

 **Katara:** Really? Don't you want to find out how strong Velvet's daemon arm is?

 **Sokka:** I take that back!

 **Velvet:** You sure?

 **Sokka:** You have to be crazy to do it!

 **Aang:** I know someone that might do it. Next time: King of Omashu!

 **Katara:** Wait! We're meeting a king!

* * *

 **I was planning to make Bienfu get into the story but remembered that almost everyone in Velvet's team has died under the time Velvet was gone. Also, how does he sound in English, that's something I need to know before he can be in the story!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 5**

 **The King of Omashu**

The gang arrive at a small hill mounting up on its crest and Aang sees something from afar and smiles at the sight.

"There it is! The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu!" Aang said excited pointing at a walled city resting on top of a huge rock promontory in front of the gang and the city looks big much to everyone's amazement. "I used to always come here to visit my old friend, Bumi."

"We don't have cities like this in the South Pole." Katara said.

"They have buildings here that don't melt!" Sokka said.

"It reminds me of Logress." Velvet said.

"Let's go. The real fun is inside the building." Aang as he starts to go down the hill.

"Wait, Aang! It could be dangerous if people find out you're the Avatar and Velvet being an Arte user." Katara said."You both will need a disguise."

"You know that I can turn invisible for everyone except Aang, besides acting is not my greatest side." Velvet exclaimed and thought about one of the embarrassing moments of her life.

"So, what am I supposed to do? Grow a mustache?" Aang asked. Later, Aang is wearing a fake huge mustache and head of hair made of Appa's fur and he starts scratching his head.

"Ohh, this is so itchy! How do you live in this stuff, boy?" Aang asked Appa who groans to answer the Airbender.

"Great! Now you look just like my grandfather." Sokka said.

"Technically, Aang is a hundred-twelve years old." Katara said.

"I'm glad I don't have to do anything." Velvet said in relief and turned invisible.

"Okay. Let's get skippin' now, young whippersnappers! The big city awaits!" Aang said in an old man voice.

The gang make their way to the access road while Aang is walking hunch back while using his staff like a walking stick.

"You guys are gonna love Omashu. The people here are the friendliest in the world." Aang said but then they see three guards standing near the city gate and standing in front of them is a cabbage merchant.

"Rotten cabbages! What kind of slum do you think this is?" One of the gate guards asked as he crushes one and knocks those in the merchant's arms over the side of the access road and the guards then bend a rock lump of the ground and knocks the merchant's cabbage cart into the air and over the side of the access road and the cart carrying all the cabbages plunge hundred feet to the valley floor.

"NOOOOOO! MY CABBAGES!" The cabbage merchant cried as he looks over the side of the road lamenting over his fallen cabbages.

"Just keep smiling." Aang said softly but nervous.

The gang walk forward while Aang makes a big smile and the guard who destroyed the cabbages look at the gang and when Aang walks towards the gaurd he bends a giant boulder and holds it over Aang's head.

"State your business." The guard said, Aang rushes from under the boulder and over to the guard and he points his finger at the guard.

"My business is my business, young man and is none of yours! I've got half a mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!" Aang yelled while still using his old man voice making the guard drop his boulder in shock while Katara, Sokka and Velvet are watching this with shock.

"Settle down, old timer. Just tell me who you are." The guard said.

"Name's Bonzu Pipinpadaloxicopolis the Third and these are my grandkids." Aang said.

"Hi. I'm June Pipinpadaloxicopolis. Nice to meet you." Katara said.

"Very well. You seem like a responsible young lady. Make sure your grandfather stays out of trouble." The guard said to Katara, who nod. "Enjoy Omashu." The guard said as he motions them to pass.

"We will." Katara said as she and the others start moving.

"Wait a minute!" The guard said stopping Sokka as he was about to pass. "You look like strong young boy. Show some respect to your elders and carry his bags."

"Great idea." Aang said as he throws a bag to Sokka and they enter the city as the gates start to close but then a guard sees Momo's ears before the gate closed completely.

After entering Omashu the gang are looking over a railing at the interior of the city with amazement and the city has many houses with roofs painted with Earth Kingdom green and there are chutes all over the city with crates and packages sliding down and Earthbenders are working the delivery system.

"This is the Omashu Delivery System. Miles and miles of tubes and chutes. Earthbending brings the packages up and gravity brings them down." Aang explained.

"So in other words, they get their mail on time." Velvet said, who were now visible.

"That's a good thing." Sokka said.

"They do get their mail on time, but my friend Bumi found a better use for these chutes." Aang said making a mischievous smile.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Aang is in Omashu with a boy named Bumi who has spiky orange hair with a headband, a missing tooth, and has a crazy looking face and they're both looking down over the city and Bumi turns to face him._

 _"Look around you. What do you see?" Bumi asked._

 _"Umm, a mail system?" Aang guessed._

 _"Instead of seeing what they want you to see, you gotta open your brain to the possibilities." Bumi said._

 _"A package sending system?" Aang guessed again._

 _"The world's greatest super slide!" Bumi said and Aang sees that the chutes do in fact look like a giant slide and Aang smiles._

 _"Bumi, you're a mad genius." Aang said and Bumi laughs followed by a snort and they're both riding on one of the bin transports down the chute and they're both laughing having a good time._

 ** _Flashback Ends_**

The gang are in the same place of the city and they all except Velvet, get on a bin transport with Aang in the front.

"One ride and we're off to the North Pole. Avatar's honor." Aang said.

"Aang, this sounded like fun at first, but now I'm having second thoughts!" Katara said.

The bin starts to drop into the chute and they rocket away. Velvet sighed and summoned a stone board with blue markings and followed them. As they accelerate down the chute they see another bin transport and is about to merge with the bin the gang are riding on and they see racks of spears dropping down the other chute and after two paths merge Sokka duck to avoid getting killed and Katara scream as they avoid the spears.

"I got this!" Velvet said jumping on. She started rocking the bin back and forth in the chute and they soon derail everyone out of the chute and their bin free falls onto a rooftop below.

"Men, you'll be going into combat soon so it's important that you be prepared for anything." An officer said to a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers.

At the moment the gang's bin falls into view shocking the officer and the soldiers and Aang is grabbing the front of the bin while trying to pull it up. Katara, Sokka and Velvet panic and Aang uses his Airbending to propel the pin back into the air away from the officer and the soldiers and the gang managed to drop back into a chute and they are rocketing down again.

"Aang! Do something!" Sokka said.

"Use you Airbending!" Katara said.

"Great idea! That'll make us go faster!" Aang said.

"That's not what she meant!" Velvet said.

Aang blasts air behind them making the bin speed up and the people look at them in alarm as they speed up in the chute and as they approach the drop down of the last major chute they all scream as they see an off load point in front of them and the off load has a package on it and they are about to hit it but an Earthbender moves the package making the gang sigh in relief but then the Earthbender raises another package making the gang scream again but instead of hitting the package they hit the side of the trench and run off the track again and they all fall out of the bin and are falling but Aang Airbends them back into the bin and they bounce off a roof and into a man's work room and they destroy his pottery and they bounce off his floor and crash into a different window.

"Sorry!" Aang called as they go back outside.

They then fall into someone's house and fly through it and they crash through the wall of the balcony going outside and dropping down again and they scream and while this is happening the cabbage merchant from before strolls through the city with a different cabbage cart and while he's fondly shaking one of his cabbages he hears a fall and he looks up and jumps back as the bin and the gang fall on the cabbage cart destroying it and cabbages are all over the place and the gang are in a heap and Aang's disguise is gone and Velvet is in view for everyone to see.

"MY CABBAGES! You're going to pay for that!" The cabbage merchant said as the gang are surrounded by guards.

"Two cabbages please." Aang said sheepishly. Velvet growled. Unknowing to them, a boy with shoulder length blonde hair and the same gold eyes as Velvet was watching them between the guards.

"Sis...?" The boy said in a low voice.

Later on in a throne decorated in Earth Kingdom green an old crazy looking king is sitting on his throne and he sees his guards bringing the gang before him and the guards force them to kneel.

"Your Majesty, these juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, malicious destruction of cabbages." The guard said.

"Off with their heads! One for each head of cabbage!" The cabbage merchant said.

"Silence! Only the King can pass down judgement." The guard said and he turns to the old king. "What is your judgement, Sire?"

The old king looks at the gang with Sokka being nervous while Velvet looks at the king with no emotion while Katara are being hopeful while Aang tries to act like he's not here.

"Throw them...a feast!" The old king said making guards shocked while the cabbage merchant face palms while the gang are also in shock.

"Did he just say a feast?" Sokka asked.

"Apparently." Aang said.

The gang are seated on a table loaded with food with Aang sitting in the middle and Momo is eating goodies and the old king is behind the gang.

"The people in my city have gotten fat from eating too many feasts so I hope you like your chicken with no skin." The old king said.

"Thanks, but I don't eat meat." Aang said.

"How about you? I bet you like meat." The old king said to Sokka and he sticks a drumstick in Sokka's mouth. The old king then sits on his chair at the opposite end of the table.

"So tell me, bald one. Where are you from?" The old king asked.

"Uh, Kangaroo Island." Aang lied.

"Kangaroo Island, eh? I heard that place is really hopping!" The old king said and silence filled the room only to be broken by Sokka laughing and the others look at them.

"What is wrong with you?" Vevlet asked.

"What?" Sokka asked. The old king yawns.

"All these jokes are making me tired. It's time to hit the hay." The old king said as he throws his drumstick at Aang who quickly Airbends to make it stand still and the drumstick spins in the air making the guards gasp in shock. "There's an Airbender in our presence and not just any Airbender...the Avatar!" The old king said pointing at Aang who drops the drumstick trying to act like he didn't Airbend. "And if I'm not mistaken, the girl next to the Avatar is an Arte user!"

"So what do you have to say for yourselves, 'Bonzu Pipinpadaloxicopolis'?" The old king asked and Aang raises his hands in defeat.

"Okay, you caught us. I'm the Avatar and she's an Arte user. You know, doing hero things and keeping world safe. Everything checks out. No Firebenders around so good work, everybody. Love each other, respect all life, and don't run with your spears. We'll see you next time!" Aang said as he and the others were walking backwards and were about to leave the room but the guards block their way.

"You can't keep us here." Katara said.

"Lettuce leaf?" The old king asked as he picks up a lettuce leaf and starts eating it.

"We're in serious trouble." Sokka said.

"I don't mean to misjudge people, but it's like he lacks a mind of his own." Velvet said.

"Tomorrow, the Avatar will face three deadly challenges, but for now, my guards will escort you to your chamber." The old king said.

"My Liege, do you mean the good chamber or the bad chamber?" A guard asked.

"The newly refurbished chamber." The old king answered.

"Wait, which chamber are we talking about?" The guard asked.

"The one that used to be the bad chamber until the recent refurbishing that is. Of course, we've been calling it the new chamber, but we should really number them. Uh, take them all to the refurbished chamber that was once bad." The old king ordered as the guards lead the gang out of the room while the old king continues to eat his lettuce leaf.

The door opens by Earthbending and the gang are led into a chamber that looks beautiful and the door closes by Earthbending.

"THIS is a prison cell?" Katara asked.

"He did say it was newly furbished." Katara said.

"Nice or not, we're still prisoners." Velvet said.

"He's right." Sokka said.

"I wonder what the challenges are gonna be?" Aang asked.

"We're not sticking around to find out." Velvet said. "We have to find a way out of here."

"The air vents!" Aang said pointing at the air vents.

"If you think we'll fit through there, then you're crazier than that king." Sokka said.

"We can't, but Momo can." Aang said pointing at the lemur who is laying on a bed and licking on an apple. "Guys, can you to find Appa to bust us out of here?" He picks up Momo and starts putting him face first into the small vent and he's having some trouble. "C'mon, boy, get in." Aang is still trying to stuff the lemur in but it's still not working and Momo is now stuck.

"I have a question. How is Appa even supposed to save us anyway?" Velvet asked.

"He's a ten ton flying bison. He can figure something out." Aang said trying to get Momo out of vent.

"Well, no point in arguing now. Let's get some rest, Aang. We'll need it tomorrow." Katara said getting on a bed.

Everyone gets on a bed and starts to fall asleep.

Later on Aang is still asleep but then the room shakes and a guard Earthbends the door open entering the room. Aang wakes up and he looks around only to find that his friends are gone.

"Katara! Sokka! Velvet!" Aang said. "Where's my friends?"

"The King will free your friends if you two agree to complete the challenges." The guard said.

"What happens if I fail?" Aang asked.

"He didn't say. Your staff please, Avatar." The guard said and Aang gives up his staff and follows the guard out of the room.

The two are led to the throne room and they see the old king who is now wearing a blue, purple, and green robe.

"First, Avatar, what do you think of my new outfit? I want your honest opinion." The old king said and Aang doesn't have a reaction. "I'm waiting."

"I guess it's fine." Aang said.

"Excellent! You passed!" The old king said.

"Really?!" Aang asked.

"Well, not one of the deadly tests. The real tests are more...challenging." The old king said making Aang angry and bends air to quickly get into the old king's face.

"I don't have time for your crazy games!" Aang yelled. "Give me my friends back! We're leaving!"

"I thought you both might refuse. So I'll give your friends some special souvenirs." The old king said as he reveals a wall being opened by his guards' Earthbending and the guards are holding Katara, Sokka and Velvet in the corridor and the guards place small rings on one of their fingers which fit snugly as they are worn and they try to take off the rings but fail. "Those delightful rings are made of pure genemite, also known as the creeping crystal. It's crystal that grows remarkably fast and by nightfall, two of your friends will be completely covered in it. It's a terrible fate and I can stop it, but if only you cooperate." The old king said as the crystals are in fact starting to grow on Katara and Sokka's fingers.

"It's already creeping!" Sokka said.

"And because of her powers and will try to help you under the tests, the Arte user is given a special silver ring that drains her energy and not only that, if she ever tries to help you in a way, electric shocks will hurt her and drains her energy faster." The old king said. Velvet's ring was on her left hand and glowed before giving Velvet a shock which made her scream in pain and landed on her knees panting.

"We'll do what you want." Aang said in defeat and the old king grins evilly.

Aang arrive at a cavern with stalagmites and a waterfall in the background, he was standing on a small stone parapet while the old king, his guards, and prisoners are standing on a balcony and already the crystals are starting to cover Katara and Sokka.

"It seems I've lost my lunchbox key and I'm hungry." The old king said and Aang see a bronze key hanging from a chain in the middle of the waterfall and a ladder reaches up to where the key is dangling. "Oh, there it is. Would you mind fetching it for me?"

"You can't be serious." Aang said.

"Well, not all the time." The old king said.

"Let's just get this over with." Aang said. He jumped into action and Airbending from stalagmite to stalagmite. Aang reached the waterfall while holding his breath and start climbing the ladder but the force of the waterfall stops him from climbing.

"Oh, climbing the ladder. No one has ever thought of that before." The old king said.

Aang lose his grip and were shot out of the waterfall. He was about to get impaled by a stalagmite but Aang Airbends himself to slide between two stalagmites and get close to the bottom stalagmite getting close to his rears and Aang sighs in relief, he throws himself up to the stalactites on the ceiling and Aang looks at the key, he makes a quick leap on another stalagmite to jump into the waterfall again but was quickly shout out and grabs onto a stalagmite and the old king is still watching this with amusement while the crystals are covering up the shoulders of Katara and Sokka. Velvet was slowly drained off energy but could still stand and watch her friend trying his best.

"Yes. Keep diving head in. I'm sure it'll work eventually." The old king said.

This gives Aang an idea and breaks off the top of the stalagmite he was holding and throws it at the chain that's still holding the key and Aang uses his Airbending to make sure it breaks the chain and carries the bottom part of it along with the key up to the balcony and the tip of the stalagmite embeds itself like a spearhead into the top of the doorway and the key now dangles over the old king's head.

"Your lunch is served!" Aang said. "I completed your challenge now let my friends go!"

"Not just yet. I have another problem. I've lost my pet, Flopsy." The old king said.

They later arrive at a shallow arena while the old king and the prisoners are standing near a railing on the top of the arena and Aang see a fluffy bunny sitting on a rock.

"I think we found him." Aang said.

"Bring him to me. Daddy wants to kiss his Flopsy." The old king said.

"That doesn't sound right." Sokka said.

"If I wasn't drained off energy right now, I would have punched your head to make you shut up." Velvet said, trying to stay on her feet as her vision gets blury.

"I'll shut up." Sokka said as the crystal creeps in on him again making him gasp.

"Come here, Flopsy!" Aang said and unknowing to him a giant monster is behind him. Aang turns to see the giant monster and he gasps while the bunny squeaks and runs off as the monster crushes the boulder in front of him but he backs off and sees the bunny running and squeaking in terror. "Flopsy! Wait, Flopsy! Come back, Flopsy!"

Aang chased after the bunny while the monster chases them and the old king is laughing like a madman and while Aang keep chasing the bunny it runs into a small hole in the wall of the arena and Aang slides to the hole and sticks his hand in the hole, Aang tried to find the bunny but to no avail and see the monster closing in and Aang decides to walk up to it and faces the monster.

"What is he doing?" Sokka asked.

"At least try not get yourself killed." Velvet said and swings a little from side to side.

"You okay?" Katara asked and the black haired girl nodded tired.

"Flopsy?" Aang asked making the monster stop and wags it giant tail and it grabs Aang for a hug and makes gentle noises. "Flopsy!" Flopsy gives him a giant lick. "I found Flopsy!" Flopsy lets go of Aang and he pats him in the head and then Flopsy hears the old king's whistle and he runs to the top of the arena and in front of the old king.

"Awwww, that's a good Flopsy. Yes. Who has a soft belly?" The old king asked rubbing Flopsy's belly and Flopsy is enjoying it.

"THAT'S Flopsy?!" Sokka asked shocked.

"I don't think he mentioned about monsters being here." Velvet said.

"She has a point." Katara said, she sees Aang jumping up onto the railing of the arena and he see Katara already covered from head to ankle in crystal.

"Are you guys okay?" Aang asked.

"Other than the fact that my entire body is being covered in crystal, doing great." Katara said.

"What about you-" Aang was cut off when Velvet falls forwards him and Aang catches her.

"Sorry, but I'm okay. I just need to sit down for a bit." She said tired and Aang helps her down on the ground. They see Sokka also covered head to ankle in crystal but a new length of crystal grows on the left side of Sokka's head and he loses his balance and fall over, Aang see the old king still rubbing Flopsy's belly.

"Awww, yes." The old king still rubbing.

"Come on, I'm ready for the next challenge." Aang said and the old king makes another evil grin.

Everyone later arrives at what looks like an Earthbending arena and on top of it are two different balconies. Aang, and the old king are on one balcony while the prisoners who are now encased in crystal except for their faces and feet on the other balcony while Velvet was sitting by the edge near the door, leaning against the wall.

"Your final test is a duel and as special treat, you may choose your opponent. Point and choose." The old king said as two enormous gladiator champions enter the balcony at the old king's side and one champion on the left is a muscular man carrying an axe while the other champion on the right is a mammoth fighter with brute strength and Aang is terrified.

"So I point at whoever and that's the person we get to fight?" Aang asked.

"Choose wisely." The old king said and Aang grins evilly.

"I choose..." Aang said as looks at two champions and then at the old king. "You!" Aang pointed at the old king who laughs.

"Wrong choice!" The old king said as he corrects his lumped position and he takes off his robe showing a muscular body for an old man and Aang sweat drop and just realized his mistake. The old king stomps his foot on the ground and summons a rock sending Aang into the arena.

Aang land in the dust and he sees the old king jumping off the balcony and lands close to Aang and he laughs evilly while Aang look at him in fear.

"You two thought I was a frail old man, but I'm the most powerful Earthbender you'll ever see!" The old king said.

"Can we fight the guy with the axe instead." Aang asked.

"There are no take-back-sees in my kingdom. You might need this." The old king said as he motions the guard to throw Aang's staff and he takes it and the old king then launches several boulders at Aang who dodged. "Typical Airbender tactic: avoid and evade. I'd hoped the Avatar would be less predictable." The old king throws another boulder at Aang who dodges again. "Don't you have any surprises for me? Sooner or later, you'll have to strike back." The old king kicks a rock at Aang, who were using his staff as an helicopter to stay in the air, but hits the roof which made Aang crash to the ground and drops his staff.

Aang tries to run forwards him while the old king is walking around and each turn he makes a huge rock pillar blocking Aang's path and one of them catches Aang in the gut as it sends him in the air.

"You have to be more creative than that." The old king said. Aang makes an airball and starts riding it on the wall around the arena getting to the old king's right side and he lets out a huge gale at the old king but he blocks the attacks with a sheet of rock from the ground and he gets out of the rock shield smiling. "Did someone open a window? It feels a little drafty in here. Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?"

As Aang drops his airball the old king kicks the stone sheet down and sends a wave of stones at Aang who almost dodged but gets punched back to the ground and rolls. When he was about to land, the king slams his hand into the ground and sends a wave of stones at Aang, he dodged and jumped from a wall to where his staff was and rolled while picking it up.

"How are you going to get me from way over there?" The old king asked. Aang begins to run forwards him again in high speed, but the king bends the ground under Aang's feet soft which made the Airbender sink into it. The old king raises two boulders in lightning speed that failed to crush Aang who used his Airbending to get out and Aang unleashes a huge gale knocking the old king back. The king however bended a rock behind Aang and he barely dodges over it, the rock was going to the old king who destroyed it. He Earthbend the higher balcony up in the air which made Aang surprised and started to run in circles in high speed, creating a whirlwind.

The king throws the balcony at the whirlwind but it comes back at him, which the king had to break it in half and Aang took the chance to pin the king with his staff. The king looks up and a small rock hits Aang's head, which made him look up to see a big rock above his head.

"Hehe! Well done, Avatar! You fight with much fire in your heart!" The old king said as he throws the boulder to the side and then falls into the floor disappearing in a hole leaving the two confused and a hole opens on the floor of the other balcony in front of the prisoners showing the old king rising and closing the hole under him and he sees Aang using his staff like a copter and arrived on the balcony. "You passed all my tests. Now you must answer one question."

"That's not fair! You said you'd release my friends if I finished your tests!" Aang said.

"Oh, but what's the point in tests if you haven't learned anything?" The old king asked.

"Oh, come on!" Sokka said.

"Just answer one question, and I'll free your friends. What...is my name?" The old king asked and Aang got confused. "By the looks of your friends, I'd say you only have a few minutes." The old king said as he walks away.

"How am I supposed to know his name?" Aang asked.

"Think about the challenges, maybe it's some kind of riddle." Velvet said.

"I got it!" Sokka said.

"Yeah?" Aang said.

"He's an Earthbender, right? Rocky!" Sokka said that followed with silence. "You know, because of all the rocks?"

"I just want to hit you right now." Velvet growled.

"We'll keep trying, but that's a good backup." Katara said.

"Back to the challenges. We got a key from the waterfall, saved his pet, and we dueled." Aang said.

"And what did you learn?" Velvet asked.

"Well, everything was different than I expected." Aang explained.

"And?" Katara asked urgently as her crystal starts to grow again.

"They weren't straightforward. To solve each test, I had to think differently than I usually would." Aang said and then he realizes something. "I know his name!"

Aang then arrive at the throne to see the old king who is back to wearing his robe.

"I solved the question the same way we solved your challenges. Like you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities." Aang said as the old king laughs and snorts and Aang smiles. "...Bumi, you're a mad genius!" Aang run and hugs the king.

"Aang, it's good to see you. You haven't changed a bit...literally." Bumi said and looked at two guards helping Velvet into the throne room as Katara and Sokka comes in as well.

"Over here!" Katara said.

"Little help!" Sokka exclaimed. Bumi pulls back his fist and shatters the crystals from around them and Bumi catches a flying crystal piece.

"Genemite is actually made of rock candy." Bumi said as he takes a bite at the crystal piece. "Delicious." Bumi walks to Velvet, who on the floor. Bumi took off her ring and Velvet lifted up her head as her energy came back. "I'm sorry for taking strong massures on you, but you are very strong and powerful which would make the tests a lot more dangerous for both you and Aang. Arte user, Velvet Crowe."

"So this crazy old king is actually your friend Bumi?" Katara asked.

"Who are you calling old? Okay. I'm old." Bumi said.

"Why did you do all of this nonsense instead of telling Aang who you were?" Sokka asked slightly annoyed.

"First of all, it's fun messing with people, but I have a reason." Bumi then turns to Aang. "Aang, you have a difficult task ahead of you. The world has changed in the hundred years you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai and you have much to learn. You must master all the four elements and confront the Fire Lord and when you do, I hope you think like a mad genius."

"How did you know my name?" Velvet asked, now standing up with little difficulty.

"Velvet, I'm one of the five keepers who have a piece of the puzzle to your answer." Bumi said, seeing the steam coming out of her left arm. "Not too long ago, Arte users came to the Fire Nation to get themselves answers to why the Avatar hasn't come to Glenwood for some time as it is a duty to keep peace between them. Later on, the Arte user got attacked by a Fire Nation army but that's when they realized that the elements of there Artes could not be used against them or bended away. That was when Arte users became dangerous enemies to the Fire Nation."

"What about you being a keeper mean in all of this?" Velvet asked as she brought her arm in front of her.

"The five keepers have known about you and your past." Bumi explained which got all of them shocked. "Every time a keeper dies, he or she must tell a new keeper there piece and about you. Because as soon as you wake up, you'd want your answer to why you were sealed away and not be in your deep sleep. 'If your answer will be shown, you must gather the pieces you have heard and your answer will be yours but remember, the answer you seek may not be what you think'."

"'...the answer you seek may not be what you think'." Velvet repeated.

"These riddles are in all nations of the elements and only five people know them. Now you have two of the five pieces you must gather to know who you're looking for." Bumi finished.

"Thank you." Velvet said. They suddenly got interrupted by a guard coming in.

"My liege, a boy have breaking in to the castle." The guard said.

"Bring him in." Bumi ordered, a voice of a boy struggling was coming closer and some how Velvet recognize it.

"Just let me go! I just wanted to find my sister!" The boy exclaimed and a guard comes in with a boy about 10-12 years old with shoulder length blonde hair and familiar gold eyes wearing the green garments of the Earth Kingdom. Velvet gasped and could only stare at the boy.

"We don't want your excuses." The guard holding his arm said.

"Wait, he looks very familiar to Velvet." Katara pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right." Aang agreed and Sokka nodded.

"Laphi..." Velvet said in a hushed voice. The boy noticed this and looked at Velvet.

"Sis..." He said and broke free, the boy started to run to Velvet with happy tears. Velvet herself was crying tears.

"Laphicet!" Velvet exclaimed and hugged the boy, forcing him to the floor. "I thought I lost you again."

"Velvet." Laphicet said and hugged back as Velvet cried. "I'm here now, the real me."

"I'm just glad we could be together again. I couldn't be happier to see you back to the way you used to be." The older sibling said and broke the hug to dry away her tears. "Looks like I consumed by emotions right now."

"Well, it looks like you found each other." Bumi said as the two stands up. "You two are not alone either. Your friends are more help to you than you'll ever know. You'll need them to help you fight against the Fire Nation as they need you two." Momo gets on Aang's shoulder. "You'll need Momo too."

"Thank you for your wisdom. But before we go, I have a challenge for you." Aang said.

In the city a delivery bin flies by in the chute and it's both Aang and Bumi and they are having a blast as the air rushes by them and while riding a noise is heard and smoke is rising.

"MY CABBAGES!" The cabbage merchant cried.

"Sounds like they're having fun." Katara said.

"TOO much fun." Sokka said. Not too far from them were Velvet and Laphicet talking to each other.

"So, you're leaving?" Laphicet asked and Velvet nodded.

"Aang needs to learn all elements and I promised the Seraph that protects my shrine that I would help him." Velvet explained. "Now I know you're alright, I have to take that responsibility. You can do what you like now, you don't have make someone say what you should do. You're free now, Laphi."

"I want to come with you." Laphicet exclaimed which shocked Velvet.

"But it will be dangerous!" Velvet said.

"Then teach me how to fight." Laphicet said. "I still have the power of the Artes I had when I was, you know. So if you teach me how to use them in the right way I may be in use for help." Velvet calmed down and smiled at him.

"Alright, but remember you have to do what I say then." Velvet said and Laphicet nodded. The reunited siblings look up to the sky to see the sun going down.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Velvet:** Is feels like we finally can do something together. You've always been dreaming about going on an adventure with me.

 **Laphicet:** Yeah and finally we can do it!

 **Velvet:** Our objective right now is that we need to get to the North Pole for Aang to master Waterbending.

 **Laphicet:** Isn't Katara a Waterbender?

 **Velvet:** She is but she isn't really good at it. Katara is the last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe.

 **Laphicet:** Oh that must be really hard being the only one left. I heard from King Bumi that the Fire Nation captures Earthbenders in different parts of the Earth Kingdom to weaken there forces.

 **Velvet:** Next time: Imprisoned.


	6. Chapter 6

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Imprisoned**

The gang are in a forest canopy with a little stream that exits the ground from under a stone ledge and Katara is folding her sleeping bag while Aang is watching Velvet teaching her little brother how to use Artes.

"Remember, you have to concentrate and imagine what Arte you want to use..." Velvet guided while Laphicet had his eyes closed with a paper sheet levitating in front him. Laphicet suddenly opened his eyes and made a quick motion against the paper, which turned into two spiraling lights shooting away.

"Yes, I did it!" The blonde haired boy cheered.

"Good job, Laphi." Velvet said.

"Sis, how do you know how to do Magic Artes?" Laphicet asked. "Aren't you a combo type?"

"I got a few tips from Arthur back then how to do it but I never thought about using them." Velvet said. Aang looked at them confused.

"Is there different types of Arte users? Because I don't understand." Aang said.

"There's three well known types, combo fighter, caster and warrior." Velvet explained. "Combo fighters only use close range type Artes while caster is the opposite, they're using long range Artes that need casting and warrior is both. Like Laphi said, I'm a combo fighter type."

"Wow, never thought you had so many things to keep in mind." Aang said.

"Sounds like you have to find your fighting style to know how you should use your Artes." Katara pointed out.

"Not only that, we too have to master them as well the different elements." Laphicet continued. "I can't remember every element and it usually takes years to master."

"Sounds like Aang is not the only one that need practice." Katara said, they turned to see Sokka arriving behind Katara and he's holding a sack.

"Great! You're back! What's for dinner?" Aang asked as Sokka opens the sack and lets out what look like small nuts on a stone patio.

"We only got a few options. First, round nuts and some kind of oval shaped nuts and some rock shaped nuts that...might just be rocks. Dig in." Sokka said as he takes a rock shaped nut and throws it over his shoulder and it lands next to Momo and everyone looks at Sokka.

"Seriously. What else you got?" Katara asked and Sokka looks at the sack hoping there would be something else.

Momo are looking at the rock nut and Momo chitters and taps the rock nut on a nearby stone with no effect.

"Should you tell them about-" Laphicet begin but got cut off by his older sister.

"Have already done that but I don't have any recipes right now." Velvet said.

"Oh, I forgot about that." Laphicet said and Velvet giggled.

"You're still new at this." Velvet said, then all of the sudden a huge startling noise is heard and everyone looks at where the noise is coming from. "What was that?" Momo drops the rock nut on the stone and then the same noise is heard again startling Momo again and everyone hears the noise again.

"I think it's coming from over there!" Laphicet said pointing at a ledge and he goes there and Aang, Katara, Velvet, and Momo follow him leaving Sokka.

"Should we run away from huge booms? Not follow them?" Sokka asked waving at them.

"Shut up and follow us!" Velvet called.

"Yes, ma'am." Sokka said as he quickly runs to follow.

The gang see a fallen tree in an area and behind it they look down to see a river bed that has been reduced to a small stream and on the river bed they see what looks like a boy and he's moving a boulder around the river bed.

"An Earthbender!" Katara said.

"Just like Bumi." Laphicet said.

"Let's go meet him!" Aang said.

"He looks dangerous. We should approach cautiously." Sokka said.

"Hi there! I'm Katara! What's your name?" Katara asked who already left behind the broken tree and is in the river bed trying to meet the Earthbending boy.

The Earthbending boy looks at Katara with shock and he drops the boulder he was moving around and he runs back down the river bed.

"Nice to meet you!" Laphicet called out.

"We just wanted to say hi." Katara said as the others joined the two.

"Hey, that guy's gotta be running somewhere, maybe we're near a village and I bet that village has a market!" Aang pointed out.

"Which means no nuts for dinner!" Katara said and ran off in the same direction together with Aang and Laphicet.

"Hey! I worked hard to get those nuts!" Sokka yelled.

"Did you really want to have nuts for dinner?" Velvet asked.

"No. I hated 'em too." Sokka answered and the two goes join the others.

The gang arrive at a walled Earth Kingdom village in a steep valley and they're in a marketplace and Aang are at a stall trying on new hats.

"Great hat." Aang said. "I'll trade you some nuts for it."

Katara looks around the village and she sees the Earthbending boy from the river bed entering a village.

"You found him?" Laphicet asked.

"Yes." Katara answered.

"Let's try and talk to him again." Laphicet said and they go after the boy.

The boy is in a long and empty room and walks to a woman.

"Hi, Mom." The boy said calling the woman his mother.

"Haru! Where have you been? You're late. Get started on your chores." The woman said and boy named Haru was about to do his chores but then Laphicet and Katara enter the building.

"Hey! You're that kid." Katara said.

"Why did you run from us?" Laphicet asked.

"Uh, you must have gotten me confused with some other kid." Haru said as the others enter.

"No they don't. We saw you Earthbending." Velvet said causing Haru's mother to be in shock as she closes the door and shuts the windows.

"They saw you doing what?" Haru's mother asked still in shock.

"They're crazy, Mom. I mean, look at how they're dressed." Haru said as the gang look at their clothing.

"Haru, you know how dangerous Earthbending is. You know what would happen if you get caught." Haru's mother said and a knocking on the door is heard.

"Open up!" A voice demanded and Velvet opens the blinds of the window to see soldiers.

"Fire Nation!" Velvet said.

"Act natural!" Aang said. "Velvet hide!" The gold eyed girl quickly hides behind the counter.

Haru's mother opens the door letting the Fire Nation soldiers in and they see everyone in freeze frame 'normal' poses and then the top of a barrel Aang is leaning upon shifts causing Aang to fall over while his hand goes into the water of the barrel and Haru's mother turns back to the soldiers.

"What do you want? I've already paid you this week." Haru's mother said.

"The tax just doubled. Wouldn't want an accident, would we?" The Fire soldier asked as he makes a fireball in his palm while smirking making everyone step back. "Fire is sometimes hard to control." The Fire soldier said and Haru's mother goes for a small chest and she opens it and takes out some coins and gives them to the Fire soldier who drops some of the small ones on the ground. "Keep the copper ones." The Fire soldier said as he leaves the building making everyone unhappy while Haru's mother picks up the copper coins.

"Nice guy." Sokka said sarcastically.

"How long has the Fire Nation been here?" Velvet asked coming out from her hiding place.

"Five years. Fire Lord Ozai uses our town's coal mines to fuel his ships." Haru's mother explained.

"They're thugs and they steal from us. Everyone around here is too much of a coward to do anything about it." Haru said.

"Haru, don't talk like that." Haru's mother said.

"But Haru's an Earthbender. He can help." Laphicet said.

"Earthbending is forbidden. It caused nothing but misery for this village. Haru must never use his abilities." Haru's mother said.

"How can you say that? Haru has a gift." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. Telling him not to Earthbend is like telling me not to Waterbend. It's a part of who we are." Katara said.

"You both don't understand." Haru's mother said.

"We understand that Haru can help you fight back!" Katara said.

"What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?" Laphicet asked.

"They can take Haru away! Like they took his father." Haru's mother answered shocking Katara and Laphicet as they see Haru's face and he looks pained and they both have the same expression.

Later on the sun is already setting and Haru leads the gang to outbuildings of a farm and he takes them into a barn.

"My mom says you can sleep here tonight, but you should leave in the morning." Haru said.

"Thanks. I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all your hay." Aang said and Appa is in fact stuffing his face with hay and he looks at Aang but then he keeps chewing on it.

Haru, Katara and Laphicet leave the barn and go for a walk and they arrive at the crest of a small hill overlooking the countryside.

"We're sorry about what we said earlier." Katara said.

"We didn't know about your father." Laphicet said.

"It's okay. It's funny. The way you two were talking back in the store. It reminded me of him." Haru said.

"Thanks." Katara said.

"My father was courageous. When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other Earthbenders were outnumbered ten to one, but they still fought back." Haru said.

"That's very brave and he sounds like he's a great man." Laphicet said. "Almost like my sister."

"After that, they rounded up my father and every other Earthbender and took them away. We haven't seen him since." Haru said.

"So that's why you keep your Earthbending to yourself." Katara said.

"Yeah. The problem is that the only way I can feel close to my father is now when I practice Earthbending. He taught me everything I know." Haru said as he picks up two rocks and starts twirling them around until he crushes them into sand.

"You see this necklace? My mother gave it to me." Katara said showing Haru her necklace.

"It's beautiful." Haru said.

"I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her." Katara said.

"It's not enough, is it?" Haru asked.

"No." Katara said.

"I don't remember much of my parents, the only family I've know was my sisters, Serika and Velvet. As well as Arthur." Laphicet explained. "When Serika died and I got really sick for a long time, Velvet took care of me and even got a few lessons from Arthur to learn how to fight."

"That's very sad, you two must have had it rough." Katara said and remembered what Velvet had told them not long ago.

"Not really, it's just what happened to us that is rough." Laphicet said and looked away sadly, thinking about that very day that changed them both.

They later walk down towards an open mine entrance ahead but then they hear a boom noise and they see rocks and dust coming out of the mine entrance.

"HELP!" A voice called.

"The mine!" Haru said as they all rush to the mine and they see the mine entrance blocked and they an old man almost buried by the cave in.

"Help me!" The old man said.

The ground is still shaking and rocks keep falling and crush the old man and Haru tries to prevent rocks from falling on the old man by bracing the collapsed mine entrance frame while Katara and Laphicet try to free the old man.

"It's not working!" Katara said.

"We have to get help." Laphicet said.

"There's no time. Pull harder." Haru said.

"Haru, there's a way you can help him." Katara said.

"I can't." Haru said.

"Please, there's no one around to see you. It's the only way." Laphicet said.

Haru thinks this over and he gets in front of the old man while turning to look back at the mine entrance and then concentrates with a quick move of his hands and feet and pushes the rocks back deep into the mine freeing the old man and they all help him get up.

"Haru, you did it!" Katara said.

"Good job." Laphicet said.

It's now nighttime and everyone is in Haru's barn where they'll be staying for the night and the gang get ready for bed and get into their sleeping bags.

"It was brave of Haru to use his Earthbending to save that old man." Katara said.

"Sounds like you two inspired them." Aang said.

"I guess so." Laphicet said.

"Although I thought we would get in trouble for that, I knew there was no other choice and at least the old man is safe now." Katara said.

"You two did a good job helping Haru. Let's get some sleep now. We'll be leaving at dawn." Velvet said.

"Dawn? Can't we just sleep in for once?" Aang asked.

"I'm sorry, but we can't do that. This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops." Velvet said.

"She's right and if they find out you three are here, Aang, Velvet and Laphicet, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Good night." Sokka said.

"I'd rather eat fireballs than nuts." Katara said as she makes a sly grin.

"Good night." Sokka said again annoyed this time.

"Good night, Grumpy pants." Velvet said making Aang, Katara, and Laphicet laugh and then Katara blows out the fire of their lamp.

Meanwhile the Fire Nation soldier from before and other Fire Nation soldiers walk along the farm and they head for Haru's house and as they arrive at the door the Fire Nation soldier knocks on it three times making Haru open the door but then he sees the Fire Nation soldiers in shock and not only he sees the Fire Nation Soldiers but the old man he, Katara, and Laphicet saved are with them and he points his finger at Haru.

"That's him! That's the Earthbender!" The old man said but the Fire Nation soldier pushes the old man aside and grabs Haru by his shirt and he gets pulled toward the soldiers as Haru screams.

It's now morning and Katara and Laphicet leave the barn to go for the water pump to get some water and they place the bucket under the water pump and Katara bends the water out of it and into the bucket and Laphicet picks up the bucket after Katara was done and as they were about to go back to the barn they see Haru's mother looking over the farm and when they approach her she turns to them and she's crying and Laphicet drops the bucket of water breaking it as the two realize what this means and they run as fast as they can back to the gang who are now packing their stuff and when the two reach them both Katara and Laphicet look anguished.

"They took him! They took Haru away!" Katara said with anguish shocking everyone.

"What?!" Aang asked.

"The old man we rescued yesterday turned him in to the Fire Nation! It's my fault! I forced him to Earthbend!" Laphicet said.

"It's my fault too. I told to Earthbend as well!" Katara said as she starts to cry.

"Slow down, you two." Sokka said placing his hand on Katara as Velvet did the same with her brother.

"When did this happen?" Velvet asked.

"Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight." Laphicet answered.

"I guess it's too late to track him. He's long gone." Sokka said.

"We're not tracking him! The Fire Nation are gonna bring me to Haru." Katara said.

"Why would they do that?" Aang asked.

"Because they're gonna arrest me for Earthbending." Katara answered making everyone look concerned.

The gang are now in a rocky area, Katara and Sokka roll a boulder on top of an air grate.

"I thought you were crazy at first, but I think it'll work." Sokka said who is still rolling the boulder.

"Right. There are ventilation shafts throughout these mines and all Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one right here." Velvet said.

"The boulder then levitates and ta-da! Fake-Earthbending!" Sokka said as he and Katara finish rolling the boulder to the top of the vent.

"Aang, did you get all that?" Katara asked as she places her hands on her hips looking over to Aang, who is sitting next to another air vent that he will Airbend into and Laphicet is at his side but Aang is not paying attention and is just bending air at a butterfly in front of him.

"Yeah. I got it." Aang said.

"Do you even remember your cue?" Laphicet asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Just relax. You're taking all the fun out of this." Aang said.

"By fun, you mean intentionally getting captured by an army of ruthless Firebenders?" Sokka asked. Velvet goes to Laphi and hugs him a little.

"Yeah! That fun stuff." Aang said and they hear someone coming and Sokka sees Fire Nation soldiers coming their way.

"Here they come!" Sokka said.

"Everyone get into positions!" Velvet said and turns to her little brother. "Remember, we are right behind you." The two turned into their Seraphim state.

Three Fire Nation soldiers are marching down the path and they see Sokka walking from the left while Katara are walking from the right and Sokka and Katara bump into each other.

"Get out of my way, pipsqueak!" Sokka asked in an exaggerated voice.

"How dare you call me pipsqueak? you giant-eared cretin!" Katara said also in an exaggerated voice. Velvet however was trying to hold her laugh.

"What did you call me?" Sokka asked.

"A giant-eared cretin! Look at those things." Katara said as she uses her hands to imitate huge ears. "Do herds of animals use them for shade?"

"You better back off!" Sokka said. "Seriously. Back off."

"I will not back off! I bet elephants get together and make fun of how large your ears are! " Katara said.

"That's it, you're going down!" Sokka said.

"I'll show you who's boss. Earthbending style!" Katara said as she assume fake Earthbending stance but the boulder is still on the air vent and the soldiers are now confused. "I said EARTHBENDING STYLE!"

Aang was in a daydream but Velvet hits Aang in the head making him finally react and he jumps into the air and he bends air into the air vent making the boulder on the other vent rise and Momo is behind the boulder.

"That lemur! It's Earthbending!" A soldier said in shock.

"No, you idiot! It's the girl!" Sokka said.

"Oh, of course." The Fire soldiers said now embarrassed.

The boulder then falls back on the grate and Sokka gets behind Katara and holds her.

"I'll hold her!" Sokka said and then got close to Katara's ear. "You both have twelve hours to find Haru. We'll be right behind you."

The soldiers take Katara while Laphicet follows them and the soldiers lead the girl off, Katara and Laphicet look back at the others standing on the road. Sokka checked his ears and turned to Momo, who was on Aang's shoulder.

"Momo, you have some big ears." Sokka said to the lemur and Velvet face palmed herself.

Meanwhile on a village's port where a Fire Nation ship is docked. Katara, who are now wearing brown sack cloth over her clothes are in wheeled transport with Laphicet and the other prisoners being taken to the ship and have downcast look on their faces. Aang, Velvet and Sokka are in a crowd watching the two being taken aboard and later on, the ship starts to depart. Appa flies to follow the ship from afar and they see what looks like a huge, dark, industrial foreboding rig and that's where the Fire Navy is headed. Everyone looks concerned by seeing this.

"They'll be fine." Sokka said. "Katara and Laphicet know what they're doing."

"I hope so." Aang said.

"I hope so too." Velvet agreed.

The prisoners are now on the prison rig and they lined up except Laphicet, who was a little nervous but calmed down seeing Appa in the sky not to far away. They see an older man arriving in front of the prisoners.

"Earthbenders, it is my pleasure to welcome you aboard my modest shipyard. I am your warden. I prefer not to think of you as prisoners, but as honored guests and I hope you come to think of me as your humble and caring host. You will succeed here if you simply abide..." The warden was then cut off by a cough. The warden makes a harden look and leaps away from the prisoner line up and bends a huge gout of flame at a man, assuming he coughed and the man backs away. "What kind of guest dishonors his host by interrupting him?! Take him below! One week in solitary will improve his manners." The warden orders the guards who takes the coughing man away and the warden turns to Katara. "Simply treat me with the courtesy I give you and we'll get along famously. You will notice, Earthbenders, that this rig is entirely made of metal and you are miles away from rock and earth. If you have any illusions about employing that brutish savagery that passes for bending among you people, forget them. It is impossible. Good day." The warden walks away and the prisoners are being led away into the rig.

Katara is pushed into an open area of the rig with Laphicet following and became visible, they see more hopeless prisoners roaming around and the door behind them drops closed. Katara and Laphicet look around at the prisoners and they walk past another prisoner sitting on a deck, he gets up and turns to see Katara and Laphicet.

"Katara? Laphicet?" The prisoner asked.

"Haru!" Katara and Laphicet said at the same time as Katara hugs him.

"What are you two doing here?" Haru asked.

"It's our fault you were sent here." Katara answered.

"So we're gonna free you." Laphicet said.

"So you both got yourselves arrested?" Haru asked and Laphicet shocked his head.

"Not me, only Katara." Laphicet said.

"It was the only way to find you." Katara explained.

"You two got guts. I'll give you two that." Haru said as he places his hands on their shoulders. "Come on, there's someone I want you both to meet." He, Katara and Laphicet goes to a group of prisoners. "Katara and Laphicet, this is my father, Tyro. Dad, these two are Katara and Laphicet." Haru introduced to an older man who is eating but he looks at Katara and Laphicet.

"It's an honor to meet you." Katara said bowing.

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Laphicet said also bowing.

"Have some dinner, children." Tyro said handing them two bowls and they take the bowls but they're both disgusted. "It's not as bad as it look." Katara try a spoonful but get disgusted again. "It's still pretty bad though." Another prisoner is behind Tyro and he turns to the other prisoner.

"Tyro, the prisoners are complaining there aren't enough blankets to go around." The prisoner said.

"I'll talk to the guards. In the meantime, make sure the elderly are taken care of. The rest of us will simply have to hope for warmer weather." Tyro said.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your escape plan?" Katara asked.

"Excuse me?" Tyro asked confused.

"You know, the plan to get everyone off this rig. Is it mutiny or sabotage?" Katara asked.

"The plan? The plan is to survive, wait out this war, and hope one day, some of us can go back home and forget this ever happened." Tyro answered.

"You sound like you've already given up." Laphicet said sadly.

"Katara, Laphicet, I admire your bravery and I envy your youths, but people's lives are at stake here. The warden is a ruthless man and he won't stand for any rebellion. I'm sorry, but we're powerless." Tyro said. Laphicet shadowed his eyes with his bangs, recognizing those words.

"We'll see about that." Katara said.

Katara stand up on a small raised platform on the open area and bangs on a lid of a pot with her spoon several times and the prisoners turn to the girl.

"Earthbenders! You may not know me, but I know you. Every child of my Water Tribe was rocked to sleep with stories of the brave Earth Kingdom and the courageous Earthbenders who guard its borders." Katara began and unknowing to her, the warden watches her from the catwalks. "Some of you may think that the Fire Nation has made you powerless. Yes, they have taken away your ability to bend, but they can't take away your courage and it's your courage the Fire Nation should truly fear because it runs deeper than any mine you've been forced to dig and any ocean that keeps you far from home. It is the strength of your hearts that make you who you are and it's the hearts that will remain unbroken when all rock and stone has eroded away. The time to fight back is now! I can tell you right now that the Avatar has returned! Not only that, but Arte users from Gleenwood have come to help as well!" Laphicet looks up by the mention and Tyro noticed it. "So remember your courage, Earthbenders! Let us fight for our freedom!" Katara see that prisoners turn away and continue doing what they were doing, making Katara crushed and the warden smiles at this and walks away.

"You're an Arte user, aren't you?" Tyro asked.

"No, at least not yet." Laphicet said. "She meant my sister. She's a powerful Arte user and defeated a big threat in our homeland."

"So, what your friend is telling is the truth?" Haru asked and Laphicet nodded.

"You know, my sister was in prison herself once..." The blonde boy said. "The prison was like this rig. Far from civilians with the only way to escape was on a boat, but it wasn't made out of metal and was a big fortress in a mountain. My sister was in that prison for three whole years with out eating real food. She had this ability to devour monsters with her left arm and that's how she survived before she escaped." Tyro and Haru looked at him shocked.

It is now nighttime and the rig's lighthouse lamp is rotating in the dark sky and somewhere in the rig Aang and Velvet peep over the edge of the rig and they find Katara and Laphicet, who are sleeping in their mats. Velvet wakes the two up and Katara almost cried out but Velvet quickly shushed her and they go back to the edge of the rig's main platform where Appa and Sokka are waiting.

"Your twelve hours are up. Where's Haru?" Sokka asked. "We gotta get out of here." Aang and Velvet get on Appa while Katara and Laphicet remain still.

"We can't." Katara said.

"We don't have much time. There are guards everywhere." Sokka said.

"Katara, Laphi, what's wrong?" Velvet asked.

"We can't leave. Katara and I are not giving up on these people." Laphicet said and Velvet grinned.

"They remind you of me, right?" Velvet asked and the younger brother looked at her surprised.

Later on Aang, Velvet and Sokka get off Appa, who is floating beside the platform while the group is sitting in a triangle on the rig's edge.

"What do you two mean you're not leaving?!" Sokka asked.

"We can't just abandon these people." Katara said.

"There has to be a way to help them." Laphicet said.

"They're right. We can't just leave them here." Aang said. "We have to find a way to help them. What do you think, Sokka? Velvet?"

"I think you four are crazy!" Sokka said but Velvet punches him in the stomach knocking him out.

"I can see you two are determined to go through with this. We should hide." Velvet said and they hide somewhere while Aang whispers something to Appa and he flies off silently and Aang joins the others.

Two Fire Nation soldiers are turning the corner on rounds and while they're doing so they see Appa flying flying off.

"Look!" A guard said pointing up at the sky and the Warden turns quickly at the guards.

"Tell me exactly what you saw." The Warden said.

"Well, Sir, it looked like a flying bison." A guard said.

"What?" The Warden asked.

"It was a flying buffalo, Sir and it had an empty saddle." The other guard said.

"Which is it? A bison or a buffalo?" The Warden asked already being irritated.

"Uh, I'm not sure what the difference is, but it's not really the point, Sir?" The guard said but the Warden grabs the guard.

"I'll decide what the point is, fool!" The Warden said as he throws the guard over the railing and he lands in the water. "You! Wake up the Captain and search the entire rig!" The Warden ordered the other guard.

"Sir?" The other guard asked.

"What?!" The Warden asked irritated.

"That...was the Captain you just threw overboard, Sir." The other guard said.

"Then wake someone I haven't thrown overboard yet and search the rig! There's something going on here and I don't like it." The Warden said and the guard runs.

On the loading docks of the rig Aang, Katara, Sokka, Velvet and Laphicet are hiding among crates.

"We don't have much time." Sokka said. "What're we gonna do?"

"I wish I knew how to make a hurricane." Aang said making the others look at him.

"Why a hurricane?" Velvet asked.

"To make the Warden run away and we can take his keys." Aang answered.

"Wouldn't he take his keys with him?" Velvet asked.

"I'm just tossing ideas around." Aang said.

"I tried talking to the Earthbenders into fighting back, but that didn't work." Katara said.

"There has to be a way to help them help themselves." Laphicet said.

"They need some kind of earth or rock to bend right?" Velvet asked.

"Yeah, but this place is made of metal." Katara said.

"No it's not." Velvet said pointing up at what looks like smokestacks on the upper reaches of the rig. "Look at the smoke. They're probably burning coal. In other words, Earth."

It's nearly dawn and the gang go back to the prisoner deck area and they are looking down into a huge ventilation shaft capped by a grate and Katara sees the sky is getting lighter.

"It's almost dawn!" Katara said.

"We're running out of time!" Laphicet said.

"You sure this will work, Velvet?" Katara asked.

"It should." Velvet answered.

"Yeah. These vents remind me of our little trick back at the village so we're gonna do the same thing. Only on a much bigger scale." Sokka said.

"There's a deposit of coal at the base of the silo and the whole system is ventilated. Aang closed off all the vents except one and when he does his Airbending, the coal has one place to go...right back here." Velvet explained but it's now morning and a moment later they find themselves surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers who are pointing their spears at the gang and the prisoners.

"There are the intruders!" A soldier said and everyone gets ready to fight.

"We're warning you!" Sokka said preparing his boomerang.

"Katara! Laphicet! Stop! You two can't win this fight!" Tyro said and Haru looks at him and is stunned and Katara and Laphicet have the same expressions.

"Listen to him well, children. You're both one mistake away from dying where you two stand." A voice said and it's the Warden.

As the soldiers start to close in on Katara and Laphicet air begins to rush out of the grate followed by dust and pebbles and then a river of coal erupts from the grate tearing it away and the coal eruption shoots high into the air over the deck while blasting the grate shocking the Warden and coal lands in a massive pile between the Earthbenders and the Firebenders. The Earthbender prisoners look at the pile of coal and on top of the pile is Aang who is covered in coal dust and coughs. Katara and Laphicet run up to the top of the pile of coal.

"Here's your chance, Earthbenders!" Katara said picking up some coal and raises them.

"Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!" Laphicet said also taking some coal and raises them. Haru was about to walk forward but Tyro stops him and the two girls see the prisoners back away and the Warden laugh.

"Foolish children! You both thought that inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. Their spirits were broken a long time ago." The Warden said. "Oh? But you two still believe in them? That's so sweet of you softhearted idiots!"

"Of course they believe in them!" Velvet exclaimed which made all of them shocked. "I was in this like of prison for three years with no means to escape but instead of being hopeless and thinking that I will never get out of the underground dungeon where I was captive." She glances at Laphicet. "Under those three years, I planned on my revenge to the very person who hurt my brother." Laphicet puts on a small smile. "That's why I help fight for their freedom!"

The Warden looks angry at her and walks away but then a coal hits him in the head making him turn to see that it was Haru who is holding three coals in his hand and he makes a very serious look on his face and the Warden blasts his fire at Haru who is ready to meet his end but then a wall of coal blocks the fire attack and they see Tyro in his Earthbending stance and he too has a serious look on his face making the Warden flabbergasted and the Fire Nation guards get into a firing line. "Show no mercy!" The Warden ordered and the Fire Nation guards unleash a wall of flame but then Haru, Tyro, and other Earthbenders bend a huge wall of coal blocking the fire attack.

"For the Earth Kingdom! Attack!" Tyro commanded as he slams his palm on the deck of the rig and starts throwing the wall of coal at the Fire Nation guards.

The Fire Nation guards deflect the coals with their flames but the Earthbender prisoners assume Earthbending stances while the Firebenders assume their Firebender stances and a bending fight begins with the Firebenders bending fire at the Firebenders but the Earthbenders block the fires with coal walls and then throw huge lumps of coal at the Firebenders knocking them out and during the bending carnage burning coals are being littered on deck and the gang rush forward but Firebenders attack the gang but Velvet attacks in lightning speed and knocks them out with Laphicet watching her back but they get up, try to attack with their spears but Sokka slashes at their spears with his boomerang and gives Momo the spear heads who's flying above them.

Haru and Tyro are in front of the coal dump and they both raise a huge amount of coal and mash it between them to create a coal boulder while the Warden keeps shooting fireballs at the two but Haru and Tyro throw the coal boulder at the door of the rig and they successfully breaks open the door.

"Get to the ship! We'll hold them off!" Tyro said.

"Don't let them escape!" The Warden commanded and he and his troops begin to barrage the exit with their flames.

Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sokka, and Laphicet try to exit but they see flames hit the wall in front of them and they turn to the soldiers and with a nod from Aang and bend a small tornado and aim at the Firebenders.

"Guys! Throw me some coal!" Aang said and everyone starts throwing coal into the top of the little whirlwind and the coals go down the wind tube.

Aang shoot coal from his small whirlwind and with their combined efforts they successfully knock down the Warden and his men on the entire coal dump and Haru, Tyro, and the other Earthbenders start Earthbending the coal dump into the air and over to the open water and the Warden looks down at it.

"No! Please! I can't swim!" The Warden said.

"Don't worry. I hear cowards float." Tyro said as he drops them all into the ocean below.

The Fire Navy is now under the command of the Earthbenders and they sail away from the rig while Appa swims next to it and Aang and Sokka are on Appa while Katara and Laphicet are with Haru, Tyro, and the other Earthbenders on the deck of the ship with Velvet not to far from them. Katara and Laphicet are looking back at the rig and hope they will never go back there again.

"I want to thank you two for saving me. For saving us in fact." Haru said.

"All it took was a little coal." Katara said.

"All you guys had to do was bend the coal." Laphicet said.

"It wasn't the coal. It was you two. Thank you, Katara, Laphicet." Haru said.

"Katara, Laphicet, thank you both for helping me find my courage. My family and everyone here owes you two much." Tyro said. "As well your sister for the inspiring words."

"So you're going home now?" Laphicet asked.

"Yes. I'm going to take back my village. In fact, we'll take back ALL our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!" Tyro said and the Earthbenders cheer at this.

"You two wanna come with us?" Haru offered.

"Thanks, but your mission is to take back your home." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." Katara said looking at Aang who is on Appa's head and Aang is Airbending little chunks of coal around.

"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar?" Haru asked and the two nod. "Katara, Laphicet, thank you both for bringing my father back to me. I never thought I'd see him again. I wish there was some way to..." Haru gets cut off by Katara.

"I know." Katara said as she reaches for her necklace but doesn't feel it and she realizes it's gone. "Oh, no! My mother's necklace! It's gone!"

"Maybe you lost it during the fight with the Firebenders." Laphicet suggested.

"Maybe." Katara said with a downcast look. Laphicet turned to Velvet, who was fiddling with something and looks at it while leaning on the railing.

The blonde boy walked over to her and sees she was fiddling with a silver and gold detailed ring on her middle finger with a down cast look on her face.

"Where did you get that ring?" Laphicet asked and Velvet closed her eyes.

"This ring is Seres' will and the source of my powerful Artes." Velvet explained. "She helped me escape Titania but with a prize... A prize I'm not ready to tell you."

On the deck of the rig, Katara's necklace is in fact still there but then it's picked up by someone and it's Zuko, he looks at the sun hoping he can use the necklace to hunt down Aang and Velvet.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Katara:** I can't believe I lost my mother's necklace.

 **Laphicet:** Don't worry, we'll get it back. You'll see.

 **Katara:** Thanks Laphicet. But there's something I want to ask, why didn't you taste the prison soup?

 **Laphicet:** I didn't really want to taste it and I have to tell you that me and Velvet don't really need to eat.

 **Katara:** What do you mean?

 **Laphicet:** We don't need food to survive as it is normal for Seraphim spirits, still we eat food because we like the taste and experience.

 **Katara:** Next time: The Spirit World: Winter Solstice Part 1

 **Laphicet:** That's a long title!

* * *

 **Excuse me for the slow update. Let me say three things: School, injures and a busted computer. I recently got injured and was in Finland at the time, so I couldn't work on this chapter but I promise I'll update as soon as I can to repay you.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 7**

 **The Spirit World: Winter Solstice Part 1**

Appa is flying slowly through the open sky with lots of clouds over a river valley. While he's flying, Aang is on his head leaning back and enjoying himself while he has a reed in his mouth while Laphicet and Katara are looking over Appa's side while stretching out on their stomachs while Velvet looks at a map and Sokka is cutting wood.

"Those clouds look so soft, don't they?" Katara asked.

"Yeah. Like you can just jump down and land in a big, soft cottony heap." Laphicet said.

"You two should give it a try." Sokka said.

"You're hilarious." Katara said sarcastically.

"Maybe I should throw you into the clouds and we'll see if you can land there." Velvet said.

"No thank you." Sokka said quickly.

"Think the clouds have any shapes?" Katara asked.

"Maybe. I think I can see..." Laphicet was cut off as he falls off of Appa. "AAAAAAHHHHH!" Laphicet screamed as he falls into the clouds and everyone looks over the side of Appa as Laphicet plunges into a cloud.

"Laphi!" Velvet shouted.

"He can't fly!" Sokka said.

"I got this!" Aang said as he opens his glider and dives after Laphicet.

Ten seconds later Aang and Laphicet get back on Appa and they are both soaking wet.

"Are you alright, Laphicet?" Sokka asked.

"Yes I am." Laphicet answered.

"How did you two get wet?" Sokka asked.

"Turns out the clouds are made of water." Laphicet answered as Aang Airbends to dry himself and Laphicet.

"At least you're okay." Katara said.

"Yeah. Thanks, Aang." Laphicet said.

"No problem." Aang said

"Don't scare me like that!" Velvet said both serious and worried. "You could have died!"

"Sorry, but it was an accident..." Laphicet said feeling guilty.

"Promise me that you will be more careful, I can't bare with you gone again." Velvet said.

"I promise." The younger brother said and Velvet let out a sigh of relief before going back to what she was doing.

"She really care about you." Katara said which made Laphicet sigh.

"She's been overprotective since what happened, I'm not the sick boy I was any more." Laphicet explained. "I just want her to be the fearless warrior who freed me from the light of destruction."

"Sokka was and still are overprotective since we began our journey but not as much as Velvet." Katara said.

"I always do what she says. There was this time when Velvet was sleeping and I snuck out. A day earlier, I didn't stay in bed and I was working on copying a book to by trade something to give her." Laphicet told her. "When I traded, I wanted so deep down wanted to go to the peek we used to go and do stuff together."

"Like what?" Katara asked.

"Picking flowers for Serika and our parents graves, fishing and watching the ocean waves. Velvet would hunt there for prickle boars. I had just sit down not far from the village gate to rest when Velvet came and she did now, but she forgive me and she took the guilt instead." Laphicet continued. "We got to the peek and after a while we got attacked by a daemon and that was when I gave her the comb. It was the last thing I remembered before going unconscious." Katara looked sadly away.

Appa is still flying through the sky but he keeps on flying Katara and Laphicet look ahead at something.

"What's that?" Katara asked, Sokka and Velvet look at what she's looking at and it's a valley around the river that's black instead of green.

"It's like a scar." Sokka said.

Appa lands on the valley and the gang are in a damaged area with burnt tree stumps around the barren landscape and they look around the destroyed area.

"It's so quiet." Sokka said.

"There's no life anywhere." Velvet said.

"Aang? Are you okay?" Laphicet asked.

Sokka and Velvet then see what looks like footprints on the burnt ground and the two examine them.

"Fire Nation." Velvet said.

"Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for..." Sokka was cut off by Katara's 'shh'. "What? I don't have the right to be angry?" Katara points at Aang who is very upset.

Aang sinks his knees to the ground and he lets out a huge sigh and he places his hands on the burnt ground.

"Why would anyone do this? How could I let this happen?" Aang asked.

"Aang, you didn't let this happen. It has nothing to do with you." Velvet said.

"Yes it does. It's the Avatar's job to protect nature, but I don't know how to do my job." Aang said.

"That's why we're going to the North Pole. We're going to find you a teacher." Katara said.

"Yeah. A Waterbending teacher, but there's no one who can teach me how to be the Avatar. Monk Gyatso said that Avatar Roku would help me." Aang said.

"The Avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago. How're you supposed to talk to him?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know..." Aang said and Momo gets on his shoulder and Aang pets his back.

Meanwhile Zuko is in some tall reeds but he goes through them

"Uncle! Where are you?! It's time to leave! Uncle Iroh!" Zuko called as he emerges out of the tall reeds and enters a clearing area.

Zuko sees Iroh's Fire Nation uniform hanging from a low branch and Zuko sees Iroh in a hot bath in a rock tub and steam is coming out of them.

"Over here." Iroh said.

"Uncle. We need to move on. We're closing in on the Avatar's and the Arte user's trail and I don't want to lose them!" Zuko said.

"You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles?" Iroh offered.

"My troubles cannot be soaked away! It's time to go!" Zuko said irritated.

"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little." Iroh said. "The temperature's just right. I heated it myself." He breathes steam out of his nostrils but Zuko swats the steam away.

"Enough! We need to go now! Out of the water." Zuko said.

"Very well." Iroh said. "If you say so." He rise but Zuko quickly covers his eyes.

"On second thought, you can take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or we're leaving without you." Zuko said leaving.

"Ahhh!" Iroh said as he lean back in his bath.

Meanwhile back at the wasteland valley Aang is still kneeling with a downcast look but then Katara, Velvet and Laphicet walk behind him.

"Hey, Aang, are you ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked.

"No." Aang answered sadly but then an acorn flies out of nowhere and hits Aang in the head. "Ow!" He looks at Katara, who is holding an acorn, and Velvet and Laphicet are holding acorns as well. "Hey! How is that cheering me up?" Aang rubbing his head and Sokka chuckles.

"That cheered me up." Sokka said but Velvet and Laphicet throw their acorns at Sokka whacking him in his head. "Ow!"

"You deserved that." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. I guess I did." Sokka said also rubbing his head.

"You're lucky I didn't punch your head again." Velvet said.

"These acorns are everywhere, Aang. Which means the forest will grow back." Katara said.

"Every one of these acorns will be an oak tree someday." Velvet said.

"That's right and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back." Laphicet said as he gives Aang an acorn and he smiles.

"Thanks." Aang said making Katara, Velvet and Laphicet smile. Velvet then sensed a presence.

"Who's there?" Velvet asked seeing someone coming and they see an old man in green clothes and carrying a walking stick coming to the gang.

"Who're you?" Sokka asked.

"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible, but those markings...are you the Avatar, child?" The old man asked Aang who looks at Katara who nods and he turns back to the old man.

"I am." Aang answered. "And these two are Arte users." He gestured to the Crowe siblings.

"My village desperately needs your help." The old man said.

The sun is setting and the old man leads the gang to an Earth Kingdom village and they see that some of the buildings have been burned and destroyed and the gang assume that the Fire Nation has something to do with this and the old man takes the gang to a building where some villagers are gathered and the people see Aang, Velvet and Laphicet entering the building and the village chief walks over to them.

"These tree young people are the Avatar and Arte users." The old man said.

"The rumors of your return are true, Avatar and you have actually arrived as we prayed, Arte users of Gleenwood." The village chief said. "It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in all of your presences."

"Nice to meet you too." Aang said as he bows.

"So what seems to be the problem?" Velvet asked.

"I'm not sure." The village chief answered with a pained expression.

"Our village is in a crisis. You three are our only hope. For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. His name is Hei-Bai, the black and white spirit." The old man said.

"Why is it attacking you?" Sokka asked.

"We do not know, but each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the Winter Solstice draws near." The village chief explained.

"What happens then?" Laphicet asked.

"As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the spirit world grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely." The old man said.

"Hei-Bai is already causing destruction and devastation. Once the solstice is here, there's no telling what would happen." The village chief said.

"So what do you guys want us to do?" Aang asked.

"Who better to resolve the crisis between our world and the spirit world than the Avatar himself? You are the great bridge between man and spirits." The old man said.

"Yeah...that's me." Aang said a little nervous.

"Aang, can Katara and I talk to you?" Velvet asked as she and Katara go over to a window and Aang goes with them and Sokka and Laphicet join them.

"Aang, you seem a little unsure about all this." Katara said.

"Yeah. That's because I don't know anything at all about the spirit world. It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff!" Aang said.

"You still gonna help these people?" Laphicet asked.

"I gotta try right? Maybe whatever I have to do will just...come to me." Aang said.

"I know you'll think of something, Aang." Laphicet said.

"Thanks, Laphicet." Aang said and everyone smiles.

"I think you can do it, Aang." Katara said.

"Yeah...we're all gonna get eaten by a spirit monster." Sokka said.

"Should I feed you to a bear instead?" Velvet asked.

"No thanks." Sokka said backing away.

"You can do it, Aang. You just gotta believe you can." Velvet said.

"Yeah." Aang said.

"You better be careful, Laphi." Velvet said and Laphicet looked down in disappointment and Katara knew why.

Meanwhile at the hot springs area, Iroh is sleeping in his bath but then a noise occurs startling Iroh who is startled awake.

"Uh? Who's there?" Iroh asked, looking back and forth around the forest and he sees a tiny animal on the tip of the hot bath.

"Oh, it's just a meadow vole. I should have known. You startled me, little one." Iroh said as the meadow vole leaves and Iroh leans back again.

Suddenly, a shaking occurs from deeper in the forest and dust clouds rise from the forest, a tremor starts moving and heads for Iroh's bath, then shock waves approach the baths and reach them and Iroh is held by three triangle stones in his bath and three Earthbenders arrive next to the tubs behind each three stone triangles that is still holding Iroh and an Earth Kingdom soldier examines Iroh's uniform.

"The old man is a Fire Nation soldier." One of the Earth soldiers said.

"He's no ordinary soldier. He's the Fire Lord's brother. The Dragon of the West. The once great General Iroh, but now he's our prisoner." The Earth soldier captain said.

Meanwhile back at the Earth Kingdom village, Aang exits the meeting house and he starts walking through the village.

"Hello? Spirit? Can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm...here to help stuff." Aang said as he reaches the village gate.

Everyone is still at the meeting house and they watch him and Laphicet has a worried expression on his face.

"This isn't right. We can't just sit here and cower while Aang waits for this spirit monster to show up." Sokka said.

"If anyone can save us, he can." The old man said.

"He still shouldn't have to face this alone." Laphicet said.

Aang sees the sun already set and the sky turns dark.

"The sun has set! Where are you, Hei-Bai?!" Aang asked but no answer. "Well, I hereby ask you to leave this village in peace!" Aang said but still no response. "Okay then. I guess that's settled." Aang said as he starts to walk away.

Unknowing to him a large black and white creature with six legs and razor sharp teeth follows behind Aang through the village until Aang realizes something and stops and he turns to see the large creature and he smiles.

"You must be the Hei-Bai spirit. My name is..." Aang was cut off by a blue energy beam coming out of the creature's mouth knocking Aang's staff out of his hands and the creature rears itself up and unleashes another blue energy beam and then charges at the village leaving Aang but Aang goes after it.

"My name is Aang! I'm the Avatar and I would like to help you!" Aang said as he's still going after it.

Hei-Bai starts destroying two house and a watchtower with its brute strength and its blue energy and Aang keeps following it and tries to get its attention and in the meeting house everyone is watching and Laphicet wanted to go out an help Aang but Velvet stops him.

"The Avatar's methods are...unusual." The village chief said as they duck from a flying debris.

"It's like it doesn't have any interest into what Aang is saying." Sokka said.

"Somebody has to help him." Laphicet said.

"Forgive me, Arte user, but only the Avatar can stand a chance against Hei-Bai." The old man said.

"Aang will figure out what to do, Laphicet." Katara said.

Hei-Bai continues to destroy everything while making a pile of debris and Aang runs to a building and climbs to the top of it getting between them.

"Please, will you stop destroying things and listen?" Aang asked but Hei-Bai is destroying a building with its fists. "I'm trying to do my job as a spirit bridge. Excuse me, can you turn around please? I command you to turn around!" Aang said and Hei-Bai does turn around but it swats at the building Aang is still on sending Aang flying and hits a nearby roof and he slides off and falls to the ground and Laphicet saw the whole thing he gets ticked off.

"That's it! I'm helping him!" Laphicet said as he starts to leave.

"No! It's too dangerous!" Sokka said.

"Laphi!" Velvet called as she goes after him and but the old man stops her leaves the house.

Laphicet runs through the village and finds Aang trying to get up.

"Aang, are you okay?" Laphicet asked.

"Yeah." Aang answered.

"We'll try to reason with it together." Laphiect said but then Hei-Bai approaches Laphicet and Aang.

"I don't wanna fight him. We're gonna..." Aang cuts himself off as Hei-Bai appears behind Laphicet and grabs him and starts to run.

"Laphicet!" Velvet shouted and run out of the house to try get to him.

"Velvet!" Laphicet screamed as he tried reach out for Velvet's hand but when they nearly touched, Hei-Bai runs faster.

"Laphicet! Hang on!" Aang said as he opens his staff into his glider and flies after them while Hei-Bai runs back into the forest taking Laphicet with it while Aang chases after them.

Katara and Sokka run through the village to try and help Aang but they stop at the village gate unable to keep up and Katara has a worried expression on her face and sees Velvet on the ground next to the gate on her knees and bangs on the ground with tears in her eyes.

"No, no." Velvet cried, hugging herself as Katara goes to her side.

Meanwhile back at the hot springs area Zuko and Fire soldiers starts searching only to find the hot bath empty.

"Uncle! Uncle, where are you?" Zuko asked.

"Sir, maybe he thought you left him." A Fire soldier suggested.

"Something's not right here." Zuko said as he sees the hot bath and he also sees three triangle stones in the tubs. "A pile of rocks?"

"It looks like there's been a landslide, Sir." The other Fire soldier said.

"Land doesn't slide uphill. The rocks didn't move naturally." Zuko said. "My uncle's been captured by Earthbenders!"

Meanwhile Aang is gliding through the forest at amazing speed still chasing after Hei-Bai who is still holding Laphicet in its grip and Aang sees Hei-Bai he's pulled with it and begins to pass but then a branch slows him down.

"Aang!" Laphicet called. "Over here!"

Aang tries to keep up again and he sees Hei-Bai reaching the wasteland from before and Aang gets close behind and he tries to get closer to Laphicet.

"Help!" Laphicet said.

"Hold on, Laphicet!" Aang said as he reaches his hand to Laphicet, who is able to grab it and he takes his hand. Aang was about to pull him but then Laphicet and Hei-Bai vanish shocking Aang and falls from the sky and he lands in front of a stone statue of a bear and he is unconscious but then he starts to get up and he looks around. "Laphicet! Laphicet!" Aang called but he doesn't them anywhere and he's downcast. "I've failed. I'm sorry, Velvet."

Meanwhile the three Earth soldiers are riding on three war ostrich-horses through the forest and they're taking a chained and covered Iroh with them.

"Where are you taking me?" Iroh asked.

"We're taking you to face justice." The Earth soldier captain answered.

"Right, but where specifically?" Iroh asked.

"A place you're quite familiar with actually, General Iroh. You once laid siege to it for six hundred days, but it would not yield to you." The Earth soldier captain said.

"Ah, yes! The great city of Ba Sing Se." Iroh said.

"It was greater than you apparently." The Earth soldier captain said.

"I acknowledged my defeat at Ba Sing Se. After six hundred days away from home, my men were tired and I was tired." Iroh said and then yawns. "And I'm still tired." Iroh said as he falls to the ground.

The Earth soldiers stop to see Iroh on the road asleep and they pick up and put him back on the ostrich-horse he was riding on and they continue to move and while they were moving Iroh sees his sandal left behind and Iroh makes a sly smile.

Meanwhile Velvet, who is sitting with her knee up and using her arms as a pillow, sleeping near the village gate and Katara who comes to her side and places a blanket on her shoulders which woke her up and looks at Katara. Sokka came behind them.

"I'm sure they'll be back." Katara said, Velvet looks down.

"I hope you're right." Velvet said in sadness, taking the blanket closer to her body. "I still can't believe I lost him again..." The tears began to come back. "Just when I finally got him back."

"You should get some rest." Katara said and Velvet looks at her comb, which was in her hand. "Everything's gonna be alright."

"I'm sure Laphicet is in good hands. I would be shocked if Aang returned without them." Sokka said.

Aang appears along the forest trail leading into the gate and he sees Katara, Velvet and Sokka and he notices Velvet's sad look and Aang walks over to them.

"Guys, I...I lost him." Aang said sadly but he doesn't see them reacting and so Aang comes closer but then he sees the sun rising.

"The sun is rising." Sokka said.

"Let's just hope they'll return soon." Katara said, helping Velvet up to go back to the village.

"What? No! I'm right here!" Aang said and then grunts and then he places his hand on Katara but she doesn't feel him surprising him and he looks up at the sun and he looks at himself glowing blue and he realizes something.

"I'm in the spirit world!" Aang said.

Meanwhile Iroh's sandal is still on the road from last night and Zuko found the sandal and he picks it up and sniffs it but then cover his mouth in disgust.

"Yup, that's Uncle Iroh." Zuko said and gets on his komodo-rhino.

Meanwhile Katara and Sokka is with Appa and Velvet is at their guest house. Aang is still with them and they still can't see him.

"Don't worry, guys. I'll figure this out. I promise. It's like they said, I'm the bridge between the worlds. All I have to do is...figure out what I have to do and once I do that, no problem." Aang said and he sees Appa coming to the gang and he grunts. "Appa! Hey, buddy! I'm right here, but I guess you can't see me either." Appa keeps grunting until they see him.

"It's okay, Appa. I'm sure they're on their way back." Katara said. "They probably even have moon peaches for you, for a treat."

"Or maybe a treat of all of us." Sokka said.

"We'll see." Katara said as she and Sokka walk back to the village and Appa follows them.

"What am I supposed to do?" Aang asked. "Avatar Roku! How am I supposed to talk to you?" Aang asked but no answer and he looks despaired but then he notices something and looks down the path. "Laphicet?" Aang asked excited and a light shines down the path and he sees what looks like a blue spirit dragon flying at him. "That's not Laphicet!" Aang said as he opens his staff into his glider and starts to fly away but he lands back down to the ground and he tries to Airbend the glider off the ground but nothing is happening. "What? I can't Airbend in the spirit world?!" Aang asked and he sees the blue spirit dragon flying at Aang and he screams.

The blue spirit dragon continues to fly at Aang while wreathed in blue fire and Aang screams at the dragon coming at him but then the blue spirit dragon stops in front of him and Aang looks at it.

"You don't know where Laphicet is, do you?" Aang asked and the blue spirit dragon bends its head down and uses on of its whiskers to touch Aang's forehead making Aang's eyes glow with blue fire and a flashback occurs with an old man riding on the dragon which was red and the blue spirit dragon breaks its touch ending the flashback. "You must be Avatar Roku's animal guide like Appa is to me. Please, I need to save my friends and I don't know how. Is there way to talk to Roku?" Aang asked and the blue spirit dragon bends its body allowing Aang to get on and he turns to see Natsu sitting outside the house still with a downcast look. "I'll be back, guys. Please take me to Roku." Aang said and the blue spirit dragon flies off.

Meanwhile the three Earth soldiers and their three ostrich-horses are going along a winding mountain path and while they keep moving Iroh and he looks up at the sky and he sees the blue spirit dragon and Aang flying through the sky over them and Iroh is startled by this.

"What's wrong?" The Earth soldier captain asked turning to him.

"Nothing. Actually, there is a problem. My old joints are feeling sore and achy and these shackles are too loose." Iroh said.

"Too loose?" The Earth soldier captain asked.

"That's right. The cuffs are loose and they jangle around and bump my wrists. It would help me if you would tighten them so they wouldn't shake too much." Iroh said.

"Very well. Corporal, tighten the prisoners handcuffs." The Earth soldier captain ordered.

They make the ostrich-horses stop and the corporal gets off and touches Iroh's cuffs but Iroh breathes on them making them red hot and when Iroh grabs the corporal's hands and places them on the hot iron the corporal starts screaming in pain allowing Iroh to get off and launches himself in the air unleashes a blast of fire from his feet at the other soldiers, roll off the path and down the hill.

Meanwhile Aang is still riding on the blue spirit dragon and it takes Aang to a volcanic island and it has a Fire Nation temple and they fly towards the ceiling.

"Hey! What're you doing?" Aang asked but they pass through the ceiling harmlessly and they enter a secret chamber at the top of the temple and it's empty except it has a statue of Roku and Aang walks over to it. "I don't understand. It's just a statue of Roku." Aang said and the dragon touches Aang's forehead again and his eyes are glowing again and this time it shows a vision of a huge flaming comet flying through the sky and the dragon breaks contact again. "Is that what Roku wants to talk to me about? A comet? When can I talk to him?"

The dragon lowers its head down allowing the sun to shine through a tiny window high up the ceiling and a shaft of light hits the wall near Roku's shoulder and the dragon touches Aang's forehead again and shows a vision of the time to pass the Fire Temple begins and shows the temple sitting on the volcano as clouds fly at incredible speed and sun rounds its daily course in seconds and three days pass to show the floor of the statue's chamber and two written characters are being shown along with the days passing rapidly and the shaft of sunlight hits the back wall and gets closer to the face of the statue of Roku as each day passes and the dragon breaks contact.

"It's a calendar! The light will reach Roku on the solstice. So that's when I get to talk to Roku?" Aang asked and the dragon grunts in response. "But I can't wait for that long. I need to save Laphicet." Aang said and he and dragon fly out of the temple at amazing speed.

Meanwhile Iroh keep rolling down the hill while still chained and the Earthbender solders watch this, they Earthbend a torrent of dirt and rock after him and they slide down the hillside chasing after Iroh and when they him reach he is almost buried.

"He is too dangerous, Captain. We can't just carry him to the capital. We need to do something now." The Earth soldier said.

"I agree. He must be dealt with immediately and severely." The Earth soldier captain said and Iroh look with disdain.

Meanwhile Katara and Sokka are on Appa who is flying over the forest and they start looking.

"It's no use. I can't find them anywhere." Katara said.

"Ditto over here too. Our best change is to go back to the village and wait." Sokka said. "Unless the spirit took both of them." But Katara give him an evil eye look. "Or, they could be both fine."

"We better go, Velvet needs us." Katara said and makes Appa fly back to the village.

Meanwhile Zuko keep moving through road with his komodo-rhino, trying to follow the Earthbenders that captured Iroh and see a clear trail of the ostrich-horses on the ground and as he keep moving. Zuko looks up and he sees Appa flying over them.

"The Avatar and the Arte user!" Zuko said. He yanks the reigns to turn the beast back, but then he looks down the trail that leads to his captured uncle. He looks back again in the direction he saw Appa, indecision marking his face.

Back with the gang, Velvet is sitting right outside the door with her head on her arms which is leaning on her knee, her comb in her hand and a purple aura around her. Velvet had removed most of her armor, only wearing her top, ruined pants and the bandages on her arm. Katara walks to her and was about to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Be careful or you'll hurt yourself." Velvet said gloomy which stopped Katara. "This is quite dangerous."

"So you don't mind me brush your hair?" Katara asked and Velvet gives her the comb before sitting behind her. Katara was a little hesitant but begins to brush it anyway. "You know. Laphicet told me about the comb, he gave it to you." Velvet was still quiet but thought it felt good whenever someone brushed her hair. "He also told me about you two was attacked under that time."

"That's right..." Velvet said and now understood why Laphicet did what he did. "Laphi saved me that day. I tried to protect him but was almost died when he distracted the daemon and I was dropped unconscious. By the time I woke up after my dream of Laphi giving me the comb, it became the night I can never forget...!" The purple aura became wilder as she continued. "The night that changed my life. 'The Scarlet Night'! When I noticed the moon had become red which only happens every 10 years, everyone I knew became hideous beasts that attacks everyone they see. As I arrived at the peek where ruins of an old temple was, I saw Laphi with Arthur and that was when I saw my own brother get stabbed and treated as a rag doll to be sacrificed..." Now tears went down Velvet's checks which she tries to hide. "I tried and tried to help him but the Arthur I knew was all gone and stabbed my arm as I was hanging on the edge and was later on dropped in that hole which my brother was eaten by a monster. I couldn't bear letting Arthur go free after what he had done and that was when I unleashed the negative emotions I've held deep inside which gave me the power I have today."

Katara had already stopped brushing Velvet's hair and looked sadly at her, soon she saw a younger version of Velvet sitting there. Her was fully plaited before tying it off with a red hairband. She wears a black shirt under a brown over shirt with belt-pouches and brown pants as well as maroon boots. She also wears a different gauntlet without having to bandage her arm.

"So we are more alike than I thought but you've had it a lot worse." Katara said as Velvet dried away her tears and started taking off the bandages. Under them was a thin unnoticed scar and steam coming out from the skin.

"That is the bandages purpose, hiding my arm's alternate appearance." Velvet ended, putting the bandages back. "Don't tell this to anyone, I don't wan people to know our past."

Meanwhile Aang and the dragon fly through the edge of the forest and they arrive at the wasteland and Aang sees his body sitting cross-legged atop the bear statue and as Aang braces himself he rejoins with his body and the dragon disappears into the bear statue. Aang wakes up and he's back at the physical world and so he jumps off the bear statue and he stares at it and looks closer at its face and so Aang opens his staff into his glider and he flies back to the village, there he sees Katara and Velvet sitting on the porch of the meeting house with the older girl still down. Katara and Sokka look at Velvet worried but then they see Aang flying towards them and he lands in front of them and Katara runs to him and hugs him.

"You're back!" Katara said. "Where's Laphicet?"

"I'm not sure." Aang answered downcast and he looks back at the forest and he sees the sun setting again.

Meanwhile Iroh is in an earthen pit with the Earth soldiers and have his arms stretched over a large rock in the center of the pit and their hands are spread.

"These dangerous hands must be crushed." The Earth soldier captain said as he summons a huge boulder and moves it over Iroh's hands and by the time he drops it someone arrives at kicks at the boulder away and it's Zuko and he destroys the chains on Iroh's hands.

"Excellent form, Prince Zuko." Iroh said.

"You taught me well." Zuko said.

"Surrender yourselves. It's three against two. You're outnumbered." The Earth soldier captain said as he and the other Earth soldiers surround the two Firebenders.

"That's true, but you're clearly outmatched!" Iroh replied.

The three Earth soldiers bend stones at the two but Iroh swing his chains and break them into pieces allowing Zuko to blast his fire at two Earth soldiers close to them but other two Earth soldiers are behind them and they shoot rocks at the prince and Zuko prepare to destroy them but Iroh wraps them around his chains and he swings them back at the Earth soldiers knocking them out but the Earth captain shoots several rocks at the two but they dodge and Zuko bends his fire at the Earth soldier captain but he blocks the fire with his helmet and then raises two sheets of rocks and throws them but Iroh wraps his chains around the Earth soldier captain's legs and Iroh pulls them to the ground and the rocks land on him and all the Earth soldiers are on the ground and the two Firebenders smile at each other and Zuko places his hand on Iroh's shoulder.

"Now will you please put out on some clothes?!" Zuko asked.

Meanwhile the sun sets again and Aang is standing at the village gate again and the villagers, Katara, Sokka, Velvet and Momo look through the meeting house window and Aang waits until he decides to walk back to the village and he walks over back to the meeting house but then he hears a roar and he sees Hei-Bai destroying a building with a wind chime and unleashes its blue energy beam at Aang who makes an energy shield.

"Aang, what are you doing? Run!" Katara said.

Hei-Bai goes to another building but Aang runs under it legs and he jumps into front of it onto its forehead and Aang places his hand on the forehead and his hand glows blue and Aang sees a panda bear over the monster and Aang jumps back to a porch of a building.

"You're the spirit of this forest. Now I understand. You're angry because your home was burned down. When I saw the forest was burned down, I was upset, but my friends gave me hope that the forest will grow back." Aang said as Hei-Bai stood still and Aang takes the acorn Laphicet gave him earlier and he places the acorn on the porch and Hei-Bai picks it up and smiles turning into the panda bear and it walks away from the village and as it leaves the village gate it grows a thicket of bamboo and then a few villagers and Laphicet walk out of the bamboo.

"Laphicet!" Velvet called out, she and the villagers run at their loved ones and hug them.

"What happened?" Laphicet asked confused.

"You were trapped in the spirit world for twenty-four hours." Katara answered, coming to the two.

"How are you feeling?" Sokka asked.

"Fine, I guess." Lapicet said.

"Laphi..." Laphicet looked up at his sister. "I'm sorry for being overprotective, you aren't this weak boy anymore. Now you're my brave little brother." Laphicet hugged back.

The gang are standing in front of the village chief who is accompanied by two villagers.

"Thank you, Avatar. If only there was some way to repay you for what you've done." The village chief said.

"You can give us some supplies and some money." Sokka said but Velvet punch him in the head.

"Idiot!" Velvet yelled.

"What? We need stuff." Sokka said rubbing his head.

"It would an honor to help you prepare for your journey." The village chief said as he bows and leaves.

"I'm proud of you, Aang. You figured out what to do on your own." Katara said.

"Actually, I did have a little help. There's something else." Aang said downcast.

"What is it?" Laphicet asked.

"I need to talk to Roku and I think I've figured out how to contact his spirit." Aang said.

"That's great, Aang." Katara said.

"Creepy, but great." Sokka said.

"You think everything's creepy, Stupid." Velvet said. "So what are we supposed to do?"

"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island and if I go there on the solstice, I'll be able to speak with Roku." Aang said.

"But the solstice is tomorrow." Katara said.

"Yeah and here's another problem...the island is in the Fire Nation." Aang said and everyone is shocked to hear that.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Laphicet:** Going to the enemy to just talk with someone. Sounds familiar to you?

 **Velvet:** I did that when I confronted Arturious back then, so I'm not letting Aang go there alone.

 **Laphicet:** There's something you're not telling me.

 **Velvet:** I need a way to contact Seres, she might have some clue why we were woken up from our sleep that prevented the Scarlet Night from appearing again. Avatar Roku is the only lead I have right now.

 **Laphicet:** How?

 **Velvet:** King Bumi told me that five people hold clues about our awakening, right now I have only two of five.

 **Laphicet:** I just hope you're right. Next: Avatar Roku: Winter Solstice Part 2.


	8. Chapter 8

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Avatar Roku: Winter Solstice Part 2**

Aang and Appa are at the village gate and Aang is trying to pull Appa's reins but to no avail as Appa just stands still.

"Let's go, Appa! Come on, boy!" Aang said still pulling Appa's reins but Appa groans as he's still not moving. "Look, I'm sorry, but the others aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they get hurt, I'll never forgive myself. So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" Aang said as he keeps pulling Appa's reins but Appa is still not moving and when Aang keeps pulling hard he falls to the ground and he has a disappointed look on his face.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." A voice said which sounded like Velvet and Aang sees Velvet, Laphicet, Katara, Sokka and the villagers standing behind Appa.

"Please don't go, Aang. The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I." Katara said sadly.

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means. I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice and that's today!" Aang said as he jumps on Appa's back and he looks back at his friends but they get in front of Appa.

"We're not letting you go to the Fire Nation, Aang." Sokka said.

"At least not without your friends." Laphicet said smiling. Momo jumps on Aang's arm and chitters happily while Appa licks Sokka's head.

"EWWWWWW!" Sokka whined as everyone gets on Appa and the village chief walks to Appa.

"Aang, I need to contact someone and Avatar Roku might have the only way." Velvet said and Aang nodded.

"You have a long journey to the Crescent Island, Avatar. You must fly fast to have a chance of making it before sundown. Good luck." The village chief said handing Aang parcel.

"Thank you for your..." Aang was cut off by the village chief.

"Go!" The village chief said pointing urgently and Aang makes Appa fly off from the village.

Later on the village chief walks over to the door and opens it going outside but then he sees Zuko and Iroh.

"Having trouble sleeping?" Zuko asked as he pushes the village chief back into the house. "Seen the Avatar and the Arte user lately?"

Appa is flying through the clouds in the sky and everyone is on his saddle while Aang is on his head and Laphicet looks at the sky to see the sun rising.

"The sun is rising." Laphicet said.

"C'mon, boy! We've got a long way to go! Faster!" Aang said and Appa grunts in response and starts to fly a little faster.

Zuko and Iroh are on the ship deck and the ship is racing through the water.

"Sailing into Fire Nation waters! Of all the foolish things you have done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish." Iroh said flabbergasted.

"I have no choice, Uncle." Zuko said looking through his spyglass.

"Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?!" Iroh asked angrily. "What if you're caught?"

"I'm chasing the Avatar and an Arte user. My father will understand why I'm returning home." Zuko said.

"You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type." Iroh said.

Zuko keeps looking at the sky through his spyglass and searches the sky and he finds Appa flying.

"There they are! Helmsman, full steam ahead!" Zuko ordered.

As Appa keeps flying through the sky but then Velvet, Laphicet, Katara and Sokka see Zuko's ship gaining up on them.

"Aang, we got trouble!" Velvet said.

"Big trouble!" Sokka said. "And it's gaining fast!"

On the bowls of Zuko's ship a catapult rises from below onto the deck of the ship and the catapult is loaded with a steaming and smoldering projectile while Iroh looks disgusted.

"Really, Prince Zuko. Couldn't you just shoot them down with something more fragrant?" Iroh asked.

Zuko bends his fire to ignite the projectile and then he raises his hand.

"On my mark...FIRE!" Zuko shouted and a Fire soldier cuts the catapult's rope sending the fiery projectile into the air.

As Appa is still flying through the sky Laphicet sees something behind them and it's the fireball Zuko launched.

"Fireball!" Laphicet yelled.

"I got this!" Aang said as he pulls Appa's reins hard making him swerve just in time and the fireball misses them.

"We need to get out of Zuko's range before he shoots another stinker at us." Katara said.

"Can't you make Appa fly any faster?" Velvet asked.

"I can, but there's another problem." Aang said pointing at something on the ocean that looks like a double line of Fire Nation war ships stretching to the horizon and one of the war ships is lined with trebuchets.

As Zuko's ship is still going after Appa, Zuko look at the double lined war ships in shock.

"A blockade!" Zuko said.

"Technically, you're still in Earth Kingdom waters. Turn back now and they won't arrest you." Iroh said earning a glare from Zuko.

Aang looks at the line of war ships and although he's shocked he has an idea.

"If we fly north, we can get around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade. It's the only way." Aang said.

"There's no time." Katara said.

"This is why I didn't want you guys to come. It's too dangerous." Aang said.

"And that's why we're here!" Velvet said.

"Let's run this blockade!" Sokka said.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang ordered and Appa groans in a positive response and starts flying swiftly and Zuko sees this.

"They're not turning around." Zuko said.

"Please, Prince Zuko. If the Fire Nation captures you, there is nothing I can do." Iroh said. "Please don't follow the Avatar and the Arte user."Zuko bows his head.

"I'm sorry, Uncle." Zuko said and turns to the helmsman. "Helmsman, run the blockade!"

On one of the Fire Nation war ships someone is looking through a spyglass and sees Appa and then Zuko's ship and it's Zhao who is seeing them.

"The Avatar, two Arte users, and the banished prince. Must be my lucky day." Zhao said.

"Commander Zhao, what are your orders?" One of the Fire soldiers asked.

"Shoot the bison down." Zhao ordered.

"But, Commander, there's a Fire Navy ship out there. One of our own. What if it's hit?" The soldier said.

"So be it. It belongs to a traitor." Zhao said. "Ignite!" The Fire soldier ignites the trebuchet with his fire and the other Fire soldiers ignite other trebuchets on other ships. "Launch!" Fireballs from all war ships in the blockade start flying to the air at the same time.

Zuko and Iroh see the barrage of fireballs approaching their ship and while Appa is still flying the gang see fireballs coming at the bison and they scream at the fireballs flying towards them but Appa swerves and dips and dives to avoid the fireballs while Aang holds his hands tightly on Appa's reins to try and help Appa avoid the fireballs but then a fireball grazes Appa's back making him growl in pain.

"Appa, are you okay?" Aang asked and Appa groans to respond his master.

Fireballs are flying towards Zuko's ship and everyone on the deck try to keep their balances as the ship is rocking by waves created by the fireballs that hit the water and another fireball lands close to the ship and creates a wave that breaks across the deck and another fireball hits the back part of the ship.

"Prince Zuko, the engines are damaged! We need to stop and make repairs!" The engine master called to Zuko.

"Do not stop this ship!" Zuko ordered.

On Zhao's ship more trebuchets are prepared behind him.

"Launch!" Zhao commanded and the fleet shoot multiple fireballs into the air.

Appa is bursting through the clouds while avoiding the fireballs and Aang is helping him avoid them but in front of Appa are twelve fireballs shot through the clouds but Appa swerves to dodge one on his left and the gang scream as Appa keeps swerving and then Appa dives to avoid the fireballs while they surround him but he flies past them and more fireballs continue to be shot through the sky and two fireballs collide and explode in front of Appa but he rears up to avoid the explosion but as he bucks Laphicet is thrown off his back and Katara try to reach out for him but he falls and disappears into the clouds.

"LAPHICET!" Aang and Velvet shouted at the same time and Aang pulls on Appa' reins harder to make him dive.

Appa is diving at Laphicet who is still falling and when Appa get beneath Laphicet who is still falling but Velvet reaches out her hand to catch her and when their hands clasp Appa hits the water with each of his six legs and he ascends back into the sky while Velvet gets Laphicet back on the saddle but then a large pink fish throws itself from the ocean and hits Sokka in the face making him scream and fall backwards while the fish bounces off his face and is caught by a chittering Momo and Appa is still close to the surface of the water the Fire Navy fleet shoot more fireballs at the bison but he swerves back and forth as the fireballs land into the ocean with Aang's help and Appa is flying headfirst closer to the Fire Navy blockade line and a loaded trebuchet is prepared on Zhao's deck and he raises his arm.

"Ready...FIRE!" Zhao shouted as a single fireball is shot at Appa.

Aang sees the fireball approaching them and with a determined look on his face he leaps off of Appa and gets into a collision course with the fireball and Aang grunts and unleashes a gust of wind at the center of the fireball knocking it back into the water creating a wave of water but it knocks Aang back but Appa flies just in time and he is thrown onto the bison's shoulders and Katara grab Aang's arms to steady him before getting back to stir and Appa flies through the Fire Navy blockade successfully and Aang raises his left fist in the air triumphantly.

"We made it!" Aang declared and everyone has shocked and amazed looks on their faces.

"We got into the Fire Nation? Great." Sokka said in utter disbelief.

Zhao watches the bison flying away from the blockade and a Fire soldier approaches him.

"Sir, where do you think the Avatar and the Arte users are headed?" The Fire soldier asked.

"I'm not sure." Zhao said and sees Zuko's ship coming their way. "But I bet a certain banished prince will know."

Zuko's ship is getting closer to the Fire Navy blockade but the ships of the blockade move towards each other to bar his way.

"We're on a collision course!" Iroh said.

"We can make it!" Zuko said.

On Zhao's ship, a soldier walk to Zhao.

"Sir, the boarding party is ready to apprehend Prince Zuko." The Fire soldier said.

"Wait. Cut the engines and let them pass." Zhao said.

"Sir?" The Fire soldier asked but Zhao remains silent.

Zuko's ship slides through the blockade and Zuko and Zhao look at each other with disdain as the ship passes Iroh looks back at the blockade with a pensive look and he strokes his beard unsure as to why Zhao would let them pass.

Appa is still flying through the Fire Nation skies and he grunts tiredly as his tail starts to droop and his legs slacken while the gang relax on Appa's back while Aang falls asleep and Momo is sleeping on his head but then Aang lifts his head up and he points at something.

"There it is! The island Roku's dragon took me!" Aang said still pointing at the crescent island which still has the volcano with the temple on top of it.

Appa flies towards the crescent island and then lands near the temple and Aang pats his head.

"You did a good job flying, buddy." Aang said and Appa groans and rolls onto his side tired. Velvet and Katara walk to him and start rubbing his tummy while Sokka stretch.

"Oh, poor bison. You must be so tired." Velvet said still rubbing Appa's stomach.

"Nope. I'm good, refreshed, and ready to fight some Firebenders." Sokka said as he stretches and jogs in place.

"I was talking to Appa, stupid." Velvet said irritated making Sokka stop jogging.

"Well...I was talking to Momo." Sokka replied. They turned to see Momo hanging upside down in a nearby tree and looked quizzically at Sokka.

The gang start walking up the steep path leading to the Fire Temple while looking left and right ready for any attack and they get close to the Fire Temple and they crouch behind a low wall in front of the temple.

"I don't see any guards here." Laphicet said.

"Talk about lazy." Sokka said.

"The Fire Nation must have abandoned this temple when Avatar Roku died." Katara said.

"Uh, guys, it's almost sundown." Velvet said.

"We need to hurry." Aang said as he leaps over the low wall and the others follow him.

The gang run into the temple and enter it and while inside they walk cautiously through the center of the temple but then Katara stops.

"Wait...I think I heard something." Katara said and they turn around to see a group of five elderly men wearing red robes.

"We are the Fire Sages. Guardians of Avatar Roku." One of the Fire Sages said.

"Great! I'm the Avatar." Aang said.

"We know." The Fire Sage said as he and the other Fire Sages get into Firebending stances and they shoot fires at Aang.

The fires go at Aang but Laphicet made a barrier shocking the Fire Sages allowing Velvet to attack the Fire Sages with her own Artes and she turns to the others.

"We'll hold them off! Run!" Velvet said as they do what she said.

Velvet turns back at the Fire Sages and she makes a determined face and she used her fire Artes to block the Fire Sages while Laphicet shoots electric balls, knocking them down to the floor face first and the Crowe siblings runs back to join the others.

"If the Avatar contacts Roku, there's no telling how powerful the boy will become. Split up and find him!" The Fire Sage said and they move to different locations.

Aang, Katara and Sokka are running through the temple and when they approach the corner they see Velvet and Laphicet running towards them and they stop so they won't run into them and they keep running.

"Follow me!" Laphicet said.

"Do you know where you're going?" Katara asked.

"Nope!" Laphicet said as she disappears around the corner.

Aang, Katara, Sokka and Velvet follow Laphicet but then they see Laphicet running back around the corner and a Fire Sage is running after him.

"Wrong way!" Laphicet said still running and the others run with him from the Fire Sage that's chasing them.

"Come back!" The Fire Sage said.

The gang run around corner after corner trying to lose pursuit but as they keep running they see a corridor which turns out to be a dead end making them stop and have no other place to go to and they turn to face the Fire Sage that's still chasing them.

"I don't want to fight you. I am Shyu and I am a friend." The Fire Sage named Shyu said but the gang get into battle positions.

"Firebenders aren't our friends!" Sokka said but Shyu kneels and bows to Aang.

"I know why you're here, Avatar." Shyu said.

"You do?" Aang asked.

"Yes. You wish to speak to Avatar Roku. I can take you to him." Shyu said.

"How?" Velvet asked.

Shyu reaches towards a wall and turns on a light fixture which turns out to be a lever and behind the lever is a small hole in the wall and Shyu shoots fire through the hole and the fire frames one of panels in the wall and the panels slide back and to the right revealing a secret passage and a long staircase is carved into a rock of the mountain disappearing into the dark below.

"This way!" Shyu pointing at the secret passage but the gang still look with distrust.

"Find them!" One of the Fire Sages said from behind Shyu who looks back nervously and turns back to the gang.

"Time is running out. Quickly!" Shyu said and gang look at each other and then nod at each other in agreement and they all go into the opening to the secret passage and Shyu follows them while touching a lever and closes the door behind them.

Meanwhile Zuko's damaged ship is sailing through the water and the back of the ship is billowing dark black smoke and Zuko clenches on a bar.

"What's he up to? Why didn't Zhao arrest me?" Zuko asked.

"Because he wants to follow you. He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after, the Avatar and the Arte user." Iroh said.

"If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's what we'll do." Zuko said with a determined face.

Meanwhile Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sokka, Laphicet and Shyu walk down the stairs and go into a vast and cavernous system of tunnels and as they keep walking through the tunnels they see live magma from the volcano to their right.

"Avatar Roku once called this temple his home. He formed these secret passages out of magma." Shyu said.

"Did you know Avatar Roku?" Laphicet asked.

"No, but my grandfather did. Many generations of Fire Sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a very spiritual connection to this place." Shyu explained.

"Is that how you knew I was coming?" Aang asked.

"A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occurred. The statue of Avatar Roku. It's eyes...began to glow." Shyu said.

"That's what happened at the Southern Air Temple. A statue of Avatar Roku's eyes were glowing there as well." Katara said.

"At the moment, we knew the Avatar has returned to this world." Shyu said.

"I have a question in mind. If this is an Avatar temple, then why did those Fire Sages attack Aang?" Velvet asked.

"Things have changed. In the past, the Sages were only loyal to the Avatar. When Roku died, the Sages eagerly awaited for the next Avatar to return, but he never came." Shyu explained and Aang leans against the tunnel wall.

"They were waiting for me." Aang said sadly.

"Hey, don't feel bad. You were only a hundred years late." Sokka said but Velvet punches his head hard again.

"Do you EVER shut your big mouth?!" Velvet asked angry at Sokka and Sokka rubs his head. "What happened then?"

"The Sages lost hope that the Avatar would return. When Fire Lord Sozin began the war, my grandfather and the other Fire Sages were forced to follow him. I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I had to betray the Sages." Shyu said and Aang bows to him.

"Thank you for helping me." Aang said and Shyu smiles warmly.

Everyone then starts climbing up what looks like spiral steps in the tunnel.

"We'll follow these stairs to the sanctuary. Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue. Only then you will be able to speak with him." Shyu said as they continue to climb up the spiral stairs until Shyu walks up the final steps into the temple and the others follow him into what looks like a very dark room and they go to the doors with five lion heads to the sanctuary but Shyu gasps. "NO!"

"Shyu, what's wrong?" Aang asked.

"The sanctuary doors. They're closed." Shyu said.

"Can't you open them with Firebending? Like you opened that other door?" Katara asked.

"No. Only a fully realized Avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise, the Sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts." Shyu said.

"Wait. I think I have an idea on this." Sokka said.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is still pouring smoke out of the damaged rear engine and on the back of the ship Zuko's men open the back hatch of the ship revealing a smaller vessel being lowered into the ocean and Zuko is on it.

"Uncle, keep going north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as cover." Zuko said as Iroh grunts and shakes his head in disapproval.

As the smaller ship safely lands on the water and disappears into the smoke Zhao watches this through a spyglass and all he could see is black smoke from the damaged ship and Zhao lowers his spyglass.

Meanwhile Aang, Velvet, Katara, Laphicet and Shyu stand in front of the doors to the Fire Temple Sanctuary while Sokka is kneeling on the floor filling small sacks.

"This is a little trick I picked up from my father. I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing and then Shyu lights the oil soaked twine and ta-da! Fake Firebending." Sokka said.

"You've really outdone yourself this time, Sokka." Katara said.

"This might actually work." Shyu said.

"This better work." Velvet said.

Sokka stuffs the animal skin sacks into the mouths of the five lion heads and Sokka runs away from the doors and he joins the others behind nearest columns for protection from the blast.

"The Sages will hear the explosion so as soon as they go off, you rush in." Shyu said.

"It's almost sunset. Are you ready?" Laphicet asked.

"You bet." Aang said.

Shyu sends a small stream of fire past the five lion heads igniting the twines and Shyu joins the gang behind the columns and Sokka crouches and holds tightly onto Velvet's coat who punches him to make him let go and then the small bombs go off and smoke fills the chamber and Aang runs to the door and pulls on the handles but the door will not budge.

"They're still locked." Aang said.

"It didn't work." Shyu said.

Everyone is still standing in front of the sanctuary doors and Aang is angrily throwing air blasts at the door.

"Why won't it open?!" Aang asked as he keeps shooting air blasts but Katara places her hand on his shoulder.

"Aang, stop it. There's nothing else we can do." Katara said.

"I'm sorry I put you guys through all this for nothing." Aang said.

"It's not your fault, Aang. Sokka's plan simply failed." Laphicet said.

Sokka walks over to the door and places his finger through the soot while Momo crawls over the lion heads.

"I don't get it. The blast looked as strong as any Firebending I've seen." Sokka said.

"Sokka! You're a genius!" Katara said.

"Wait. How is Sokka a genius? His plan didn't even work." Velvet said.

"C'mon, Velvet. Let her dream." Sokka said.

"It's true Sokka's plan didn't work, but it looks like it did." Katara said.

"Is the definition of 'genius' different in this world?" Velvet asked which made Laphicet giggle a little.

Later on Shyu leads the four other Fire Sages to the sanctuary doors.

"Hurry! The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!" Shyu said.

"How did he get in?" The Fire Sage asked.

"I don't know, but look at the scorch marks down there." Shyu said pointing at the space between the door and the floor and it shows a shadow of two feet.

"He's inside! Open the doors before he contacts Avatar Roku!" The Fire Sage commanded.

Unknowing to the Fire Sages Aang is behind a dragon's tail ready to run when the time is right and the Fire Sages assume their Firebending stances and they shoot five fire blasts at the same time into the five lion heads and as the fire blasts work their way through a lock the doors begin to open slowly showing a blinding light and as it starts to dissipate the Fire Sages see only Momo inside the sanctuary.

"It's the Avatar's lemur! He must have crawled through the pipes! We've been tricked!" The Fire Sage said and Momo leaps at the Fire Sage knocking him down.

Katara, Sokka and Laphicet jump from behind the columns and grab the three nearest Fire Sages and Shyu grabs the last one and all of them are subdued.

"Now, Aang!" Shyu said but he's not coming out.

"Aang! Now's your chance!" Laphicet said but still nothing.

"What's taking him?" Sokka asked.

Just then Zuko appears from behind the column and he has Aang with him while holding Aang's arms behind his back with still no signs of Velvet.

"The Avatar is coming with me!" Zuko said.

The Fire Sages then tie up Katara, Sokka, Laphicet and Shyu in chains near the columns while Momo fly away to the ceiling.

"Close the doors quickly!" Zuko ordered as he takes Aang with him to the opened floor that leads to Roku's secret tunnels.

Aang look back over his shoulder at his friends who are still tied up against the columns and when Zuko reaches to the opening when Zuko get knocked off balance down the stairs and it was Velvet, they both turn around quickly and as Zuko is tumbling down the stairs Aang makes a run for the door of the sanctuary which are beginning to close.

"Go!" Velvet said.

"What about you?!" Aang yelled.

"I'll fin another way, now go!" Velvet said before she started to run to the others but Zuko Firebended fire at her which made Velvet crash her burned back at a wall.

Aang jumps into the air to avoid fire attacks from the Fire Sages and he does some turns in mid-air and then Aang uses the two Fire Sages' head as stepping stones to make his way to the door and he sails through the door as they are closing and he got in just as the door shut completely.

"He made it!" Katara said.

"Good. Now hopefully he can talk to Avatar Roku." Velvet said before going unconscious.

Aang is now in the sanctuary and he sees a blast of light coming from behind the sanctuary doors and Aang crouches on the floor in front of Avatar Roku's statue and the setting sunlight comes through a window at the top of the sanctuary making a reddish light and it moves slowly to the statue.

"The light hits the statue and I talk to Roku. So why isn't anything happening?" Aang asked.

At the door entrance Zuko and the four Fire Sages assume Firebending stances and they shoot five fire blasts simultaneously at the door but this time the lock doesn't respond making Zuko irritated.

"Why isn't this working? Why is it still sealed shut?!" Zuko demanded.

"It must have been the light. Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside." The Fire Sage said.

Inside the sanctuary Aang is standing in the center of the sanctuary facing Roku's statue and the light from the window is now on Roku's chest.

"Why isn't this happening? I don't know what I'm doing! All I know is Airbending! Please, Avatar Roku, talk to me!" Aang said.

The sunlight moves up to Roku's face and when the light hits the statue's eyes they start to glow and the sanctuary is filled with white smoke but as it clears Aang is now standing face to face with Avatar Roku himself and they're both standing on a mountain range.

"It's good to see you, Aang. What took you so long?" Roku asked smiling and Aang is both shocked and amazed and Aang bows to him.

Back at the door entrance Shyu is kneeling on the floor facing Zuko while the four Fire Sages are behind him and Shyu's arms are tied behind his back.

"Why did you help the Avatar?" Zuko asked.

"Because it was once the Sages' duty. It's all our duty." Shyu answered and then a hand clapping can be heard.

Zuko turns to see Zhao behind him and Fire soldiers are with him.

"What a moving and heartfelt performance. I'm sure the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him." Zhao said.

"Commander Zhao!" The Fire Sage said as he and the other three bow.

"Ah, Prince Zuko. It was a noble effort, but your little smoke screen didn't work. Two traitors in one day. The Fire Lord will be pleased." Zhao said.

"You're too late, Zhao! The Avatar's inside and the doors are closed." Zuko said.

"No matter. Sooner or later, he'll have to come out." Zhao said as he turns to see Velvet, who had woken up and tried getting up, and he walks up to her. "Well, well. So you're the Arte user I've heard so much about?" Zhao stamped on her back and Velvet was to weak to do something.

"You leave my sister alone!" Laphicet shouted and Zhao turned to him.

"Stop...Laphi..." Velvet said both weak and in pain.

"So you are the other Arte user and even her younger brother." Zhao said and walked over to the blonde boy. "Don't worry, when I'm done with her I'll take you and the Avatar will be mine and I'll deliver you both to the Fire lord." Zhao fires a stream of fire at Velvet.

"VELVET!" Laphicet screamed in fear. Somehow behind the flames, Velvet was okay and protected by a barrier.

"I thought you were tougher than this." A male voice said which Velvet recognized.

"That voice...!" Velvet said. The flames disappeared, revealing three people standing in front of her.

One of them was a man with platinum blonde hair and green eyes. The other two were women, one of looks almost like the man and they all wear white clothing with blue details but the other woman, who has bright red hair in a ponytail with some of it turning white on the tips, instead of the gold details the other two had, her dress was detailed with black making the dress look like butterfly wings on over the short skirt. The red haired woman also wore a black mask over her eyes.

Everyone in the room except Velvet was shocked over they appeared out of fin air.

"Oscar! Teresa! Seres!" Laphicet said in happiness. The red haired woman got down beside Velvet..

"Seres... How did you-" Velvet tried to ask but was cut off by Seres shaking her head.

"I'll tell you later. We need to get you somewhere safe." Seres explained. Velvet smiled as a tear run down her cheek before collapsing and Seres turned to the other two. "I'll take care of things here, you two focus on getting Velvet out off here so she can rest." Teresa and Oscar nodded.

"Right! Let's go, Teresa." Oscar said taking Velvet's arm over his shoulders.

"I'm right behind you." Teresa said and she spins her staff around, making ice spikes shooting at battle ready Fire soldiers as they run through the staircase.

"Do not let them escape!" Zhao ordered and few of the Fire soldiers followed them. Seres walked over to the group, Katara and Sokka looked amazed as a Fire soldier tried attacking her from behind but she somehow disappeared in flames and reappeared behind the soldier and casted a fireball at him.

"It's nice to see you again, Laphicet." Seres said and turned to Katara and Sokka. "And it's a pleasure to meet new friends of Velvet's, I'm the Malak, Seres."

During the commotion, Aang is still with Roku at the mountain range.

"I have something very important to tell you, Aang. That is why when you were in the spirit world, I sent my dragon to find you." Roku said.

"Is it about my vision? The one about the comet?" Aang asked.

"Yes." Roku answered.

"What does it mean?" Aang asked and then the mountain range turns into a starry night sky and they see a comet slowly crossing the sky.

"One hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used that comet to begin the war. He and his Firebending army harnessed its incredible power and dealt with a deadly first strike against the other nations." Roku explained as the comet is still crossing the sky until they return to the mountain range and the comet disappears.

"So the comet made them stronger?" Aang asked.

"Yes. Stronger than you could even imagined." Roku said.

"But that happened a hundred years ago. What does the comet have to do with the war now?" Aang asked.

"Listen carefully. Sozin's comet will return by the end of the summer and Fire Lord Ozai will use its power to finish the war once and for all. If he succeeds, even the Avatar won't be able to restore balance to the world. Aang, you and your friend the Arte user, Velvet Crowe and with the help of the Shepherd, you must defeat Fire Lord Ozai before the comet arrives." Roku said.

"But I haven't even started learning Waterbending yet, not to mention earth and fire. Velvet is still teaching Laphicet and we have no lead where this 'Shepherd' is." Aang said.

"Mastering the elements takes years of discipline and practice, but if the world is to survive, then you must do it by summer's end." Roku said and Aang has an expression of both worry and fear.

Back at the entrance, Zhao and his soldiers stand in front of the door and assume their Firebending stances.

"When the doors open, unleash all your fire power." Zhao commanded.

"How's Aang gonna make it outta this?" Katara asked.

"How're WE supposed to make it outta this?" Sokka asked.

"You're friend will survive this." Seres said serious.

Aang is still on the mountain range with Roku.

"But, Roku, what if I can't master all the elements in time? What if I fail? What if they die because of me?" Aang asked.

"I know you can do it, Aang. You have done it before. The solstice is ending. We must go on our separate ways...for now." Roku said.

"But I won't be able to come back to the temple. What if I have more questions? How will I talk to you?" Aang asked.

"I am a part of you. If you need to talk to me again, you will find a way." Roku said as he closes his eyes and a vision shows Zhao's ships surrounding the temple and another vision shows Zhao and his troops in battle positions waiting outside the sanctuary doors. "A great danger awaits you at the temple. I can help you face this threat, but only if you are ready." Aang's arrows and eyes are glowing.

"I'm ready." Aang said.

Smoke starts to swirl faster and faster around Aang and Roku. The door of the sanctuary shows a blinding light coming from the inside of the sanctuary and Zhao and his troops are silhouetted against the light and smoke billows out of the entryway from the bottom of the door to where the Fire Sages are standing and they look at the floor with shock and fear. The light from the sanctuary continues to grow and everyone turn their heads away from the light to shield their eyes including Zuko and Zhao and his troops approach the door which it begins to open slowly and Zhao and his troops get ready to attack.

"Ready..." Zhao said as the sanctuary door keeps opening until it's fully open and the light fades showing two glowing eyes in the darkness of the sanctuary as smoke continues to emanate from the sanctuary and Zhao assumes his Firebending stance. "FIRE!"

"Aang! No!" Katara said.

Zhao shoots his fire blast into the sanctuary but nothing happens and then Zhao and his troops concentrate their fire power at the sanctuary entrance but the fireballs are not going into the sanctuary but are being held at the door and are manipulated into a gigantic ball of swirling fire and it slowly begins to open and at the heart of the fireball reveals eyes glowing and it's Avatar Roku making Zhao shocked.

"No way!" Sokka said.

"Who's that?" Laphicet asked.

"Avatar Roku!" Shyu said.

"So that's Avatar Roku." Seres said. "I knew I recognized that name somewhere."

Avatar Roku draws the fireball back towards himself and shoots it out of the room knocking Zhao and his soldiers to the floor and the heat of the blast melts the chains of Katara, Sokka, Seres, Laphicet, Shyu and Zuko, who escapes quickly and Roku's blast has breached the temple walls outside the Fire Temple and Roku's body starts glowing and he turns to face the cowering Fire Sages who run for their lives in fright.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple!" Shyu said.

"We need to get out of here!" Sokka said.

"Not without Aang!" Katara said.

Roku is still standing in the doorway to the sanctuary and he raises his arm and brings it down to the floor of the temple and the force of his attack rends the floor causing molten lava to rise to the surface and Roku lifts his hand up to pull the magma up from deep within the volcano making the volatile lava spurt and rise and a wall of magma shoots up through the entire temple structure and the lava explodes out of the very top of the temple. Zhao and his men run away while the gang crouch behind columns for protection and Roku lowers his hands, takes a deep breath, and pushes it down and while this is happening the sunlight moves up the statue of his face and the eyes of the statue aren't glowing anymore because of the setting sun of the solstice and the smoke that was created are being suck towards him and he's covered by the smoke swirling around him until it dissipates and it shows Aang standing in the entryway and his eyes are still glowing but he closes his eyes and he falls to the ground but Seres and Katara quickly catch him.

"We got you." Seres said.

"Thanks, but where's Shyu?" Aang asked. "And who are you?"

"We don't know." Katara said.

"He probably found another way out." Laphicet said. "And that's Seres, an old friend of mine and Velvet."

Molten lava is being poured down the sides of the volcano and smoke is billowing from the bottom of the temple and the temple starts to sink but the gang go down the stairs that will lead them out of the temple while lava has reached all but the top few steps and they realize they are trapped and Laphhicet sees a column falling behind them making the gang gasp and they run towards a whole in wall created by Roku's blast and they see that the temple is being sunk by the volcano making them dismayed and they gasp again but then they see Momo and Appa, who has Oscar staring while Teresa is in the saddle with Velvet, flying at full speed towards the temple and everyone slides down from one of the peaks of the temple to Appa's back and he starts to fly away as the temple sinks further and Seres, Katara, Sokka and Laphicet are on Appa's back while Aang is on his head and Oscar moved away and Aang have a bundle of scrolls in his arms and Momo jumps on his lap chittering away and Momo is wearing a hat of one of the Fire Sages was wearing.

Zhao and Zhao's men are back on Zhao's ship and they see the Fire Temple exploding, then Zhao turns to see Appa flying off and he has an angry look on his face.

"No prince, no Avatar, and no Arte users! Apparently, the only thing I do have...is five traitors!" Zhao said turning to the Fire Sages.

"But, Commander, only Shyu helped the Avatar." The Fire Sage said.

"Save your stories for the Fire Lord. As far as I'm concerned, you're all guilty! Take them to the prison hold!" Zhao commanded.

As Appa is flying through the sky Zuko watches the bison fly off with his spyglass and he lowers his spyglass as his ship is sailing away from the destroyed Fire Temple.

It's now nighttime and Appa is still flying while surrounded by clouds and while Appa is flying towards the moon the gang are silhouetted against the moon's light and Aang is drawn apart from his friends with a downcast look and he hangs his head down from what he learned and Katara walks over to him and sits next to him. Oscar and Teresa had disappeared as Seres have Velvet's head on her lap while healing her back.

"I still don't understand, where did you three appeared from?" Katara asked. "And where's the other two?"

"We're people who were devoured by Velvet." Seres explained which shocked everyone, mostly Laphicet. "I sacrificed myself for her sake from a dragon and chose to do it as my Oath stopped me from dying if I don't sacrificed myself for someone else, that happened when I helped her escape from Titania Prison. Oscar and Teresa was accidently killed but it was too late when Velvet realized her mistake and devoured them by her sorrow of what she had done." Seres turned to the still shocked Laphicet. "Don't blame her for this, she didn't have chose. Our spirits lives on inside her as we can communicate in her dreams." By this time, Velvet stirred and woke up.

"Seres..." Velvet said and sat up but felt the pain in her back.

"It's still sore but it will be gone soon." Seres explained.

"There's many questions I want answers on but I have a feeling that you need to go." Velvet said and Seres nodded, she took off her mask to reveal her eyes and a face that Velvet knew. "Serika..."

"We all live inside you, whenever you or your friends is in trouble you don't know what to do we will come and help." Seres said before disappearing in flames and into Velvet's ring.

Laphicet moved to Velvet's side and the older sister hugged him as Katara hugs Aang while Momo chitters and rests on Aang's lap and then Appa growls lovingly while the moon's light grows brighter and brighter.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Velvet:** Sorry for not telling you about Seres.

 **Laphicet:** Don't worry, I know why you did it but why did she look like Serika?

 **Velvet:** Seres is a reincarnation of Serika and created when Serika was sacrificed.

 **Katara:** You miss her like I miss my mom?

 **Velvet & Laphicet: **More than you think.

 **Katara:** Next: The Waterbending Scroll.


	9. Chapter 9

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 9**

 **The Waterbending Scroll**

Appa is flying through a mostly cloudy sky and it shows a few shafts of sunlight piercing the clouds and while Appa is flying Aang is pacing back and forth on Appa's back with a worried expression on his face.

"Will you sit down already? If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off. What's bugging you anyway?" Sokka asked as che's driving Appa.

"It's what Avatar Roku said. I'm supposed to master the four elements before the comet arrives." Aang said with anxiety.

"Well, let's see, you've pretty much mastered Airbending and that only took you a hundred-twelve years. I'm sure you can master the other three elements by next summer." Sokka said but then Velvet punches his head again.

"How is this helping him?!" Velvet demanded.

"Sorry..." Sokka said rubbing his head.

"I haven't even mastered Waterbending yet and we're still weeks away from the North Pole! Not to mention Velvet and Laphicet hasn't found the person they're looking for and we don't know where the Shepherd is! What're we gonna do?!" Aang asked frightened.

Velvet and Katara both take Aang's hands and they pull him down to where they are he kneels down next to them.

"Calm down, Aang. You're gonna be okay." Laphicet said. "We know you can master the other elements before that comet arrives."

"If you like, I can teach you some of the stuff I know." Katara offered.

"You'd do that?" Aang asked and Katara nods and the two crawl over to the edge of the saddle looking down.

"First, we need to find a good source of water." Katara said.

"Maybe we can find a puddle for you guys to splash in." Sokka said.

"Can we find a shark for Sokka to be eaten by?" Laphicet asked, realizing how irritating Sokka can be.

"That can be arranged if he opens his mouth ONE more time." Velvet said giving Sokka a smirk which made Sokka flinch and Laphicet laugh.

The gang later arrive at a left bank and they see a huge waterfall followed by a rapid zoom and on the bottom of the fall is a river and Katara look excitedly at the giant waterfall while Velvet and Laphicet look amazed while Sokka has a sour look on his face.

"Nice puddle." Velvet said as they head over to the catch basin of the waterfall.

Appa swoops in overhead while grunting loudly and he drops himself into the water causing a wave of water from Appa's dive crash over Momo and he is now soaked while Appa is rolling over in the water relaxing and Aang removes his clothes except his underwear and he starts to run at the water.

"Wait for me, boy!" Aang said as he's still running at the water.

"Aang, remember why we're here." Katara said stopping Aang and he looks back.

"Oh, right. Practice Waterbending." Aang said as he pulls his pants back up.

"What're we supposed to do exactly?" Sokka asked.

"You can clean the gunk off of Appa's toes." Aang said he picks up a leafy branch and holds it in front of Sokka who crosses his arms with an annoyed look.

"So while you two are playing in the water, we're supposed to be hard at work picking mud out of a giant bison's feet?" Sokka asked.

"First of all, not we, you." Velvet said. "I need to relax as my back is still sore from Zuko's fire trick and I think Laphi wants to continue reading the Celestial Record and can watch our stuff as it has resources we don't want to lose in the water."

"Second of all, mud and bugs too." Aang said smiling.

"Okay." Sokka said after awhile, taking the stick.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is still sailing through water and Zuko is on the main deck Fire Sparring but while they're sparring the ship tilts to the starboard knocking them both off balance.

"Someone's changing our course!" Zuko said.

Zuko enter the bridge area and Zuko marches over to the helmsman.

"What's the meaning of this mutiny?! No one told you to change course!" Zuko yelled.

"Actually, someone did." Iroh said from behind and he's playing what looks like Pai Sho with some crewmen. "It is a matter of utmost importance, Prince Zuko."

"Does it have something to do with the Avatar and the Arte users?" Zuko asked.

"Even more urgent. It seems I've lost my lotus tile." Iroh said.

"Lotus tile?" Zuko asked.

"For my Pai Sho game. Most people think the lotus tile is insignificant, but it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ." Iroh said.

"You changed our course just for a stupid lotus tile?" Zuko asked.

"See, you, like most people underestimate its true value. Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port of call. Hopefully, they do have the lotus tile in stock and I can get on with my life." Iroh said.

Zuko tries to control his anger and he releases a gout of flame from his mouth at the ceiling causing smoke.

"I'm lucky to have an understanding nephew." Iroh said smiling.

Meanwhile Sokka work hard at Appa's toes while he's floating on his back and flosses on Appa's gaps between his toes with his leaf branch and Appa grunts happily.

"Yeah, don't get too happy, Fuzzball. You'll do me next when this is over." Sokka said.

Aang and Katara are on the river bank and Katara shows him how to perform Waterbending while Laphicet is sitting on a rock edge reading.

"This is a pretty basic move, but it only took me months to prefect it so don't get frustrated if you don't get it right away. Just push and pull the water like this." Katara said as she gracefully moves her hands back and forth and the water is moving back and forth with her. "The key is to get the wrist movement right."

Aang then starts to do what Katara did and he gracefully moves his hands back and forth.

"Like this?" Aang asked.

"That's almost right. If you keep practicing, then you'll..." Katara was cut off by Aang.

"Hey! I'm bending it already!" Aang said moving a large wave of water around surprising Katara.

"Wow. I can't believe you got that so quickly. It only took me two months to learn that move." Katara said a little unhappy.

"Well, you had to figure it out on your own. I'm lucky enough to have a great teacher." Aang said.

"Thanks." Katara said.

"So what's next?" Aang asked.

"This is a more difficult move. I call it the 'streaming water'." Katara said as she moves her hands and pulls out a stream of water from the river and starts to loop it around. "It's harder than it looks so don't be disappointed if..." Katara cuts herself off as she sees Aang moving his own stream of water around and does an over the head flare and Katara makes a sour look and drops her water and Aang plays with his water until he puts it back into the river. "Good work, but the over the head flare was kind of unnecessary."

"Oh, sorry." Aang said. "C'mon! Don't stop now. Keep 'em coming!"

"Well, I kind of know this one move, but it's pretty hard. I haven't even figured it out yet. The idea is to create a huge wave." Katara said as she raises a blob of water out of the river but she loses her concentration and the water falls back into the river.

"So like this?" Aang asked as he raises his hands and a huge wall of water shoots up into the air.

While Sokka is still cleaning Appa, he hear a wave coming behind them and he turns to see Aang's wave coming at them and Sokka have wide eyes.

"Aang!" Sokka said as the wave breaks over him and Appa and they get soaked.

Sokka rise out of the water due to being washed off.

"Wow. That was one big powerful wave." Laphicet said, looking up as Momo landed on his shoulders.

"Is there any else I need to learn?" Aang asked.

"I think that's enough practice for today." Katara said crossly but noticed Velvet's armor next to their bag. "Laphicet, where's Velvet?"

"She's up there." Laphicet said pointing at the top of the waterfall. There, Velvet was takin a distance before running to the edge and jumps, Aang and Katara look in fear as they see her spinning in the air before diving in the water. A few minutes later, Velvet breaks out of the water.

"Wow, she's one dangerous daredevil." Aang said amazed as Velvet walked up shore and takes out a towel to dry herself off.

"Well, that was refreshing." Velvet said. "So what did I miss?"

"I'll say! Aang, you just practiced our supplies down the river!" Sokka yelled pointing at the bags of stuff floating down the river making Aang have a regretful look but then Velvet punches Sokka's head again with extreme force. "OOOOOOWWWWWW!"

"Sometimes you are so irritating." Velvet said a little angry.

"I'm really sorry about that." Aang said.

"Ah, don't sweat it, Aang. Mistakes happen during practice." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. Besides, I'm sure we can find somewhere to replace all that stuff." Velvet said. "I saw a merchant market not too far from here."

"Ugh, it was hard enough when Aang was just an Airbender." Sokka said going back in the water.

The gang arrive at a port village and they walk around a market street filled with tough looking sailors, merchants, and shady types and while walking around the market street they go to a shop and Sokka go in while the others sit in a shop window and wait until later on Sokka exit the shop.

"We've exactly got three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. We must spend it wisely." Sokka said.

"Uh, make that two copper pieces, Sokka." Aang said.

"What did you spend?" Katara asked and Aang takes out a white bison shaped whistle to answer her question.

"I couldn't say no to this whistle." Aang said as he draws great breath and blows it while Sokka and Laphicet cover their ears knowing what's to come but when Aang blows on the whistle it's just a sound of rushing air.

"It doesn't even work." Sokka said as Momo chitters at Aang making him stop blowing. "See? Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

"No offense, Aang, but I'll hold on to the money from now on." Katara said and Aang gives her the money.

"Laphicet, is that you?" A male voice said and the young turn around to see a man behind them.

"Eguille!" Laphicet said. "So you guys are here?"

"Yep, I see you have new friends. Traveling?" Eugille asked seeing the small group behind him.

"Yeah, this is the one I've been talking about. Eugille meet my older sister Velvet, Sokka, Katara and Aang." Laphicet introduced. "Guys, meet one of the members of the famous Gleenwood merchant guild. The Sparrowfeathers, Eugille."

"So, you're able to get here from Gleenwood?" Velvet asked. "Because we need supplies and I can take the chance to fix my gauntlet blade."

"But we don't have any money or something to trade." Katara said.

"Of course! We have to use our gald somewhere, right?" Laphicet said.

"Wait, you had gold on you the whole time?!" Sokka exclaimed which earned him a punch from Velvet.

"Not gold, gald. It's the currency we use and obtain when we fight monsters." Velvet said.

"I'll take you to our ship and we can trade there." Eugille suggested and the gang followed him to a ship that seemed more advanced for Aang, Katara and Sokka. On it were already some people trading and Eugille lead them inside the ship. "Here is special things that people of Gleenwood only has access to."

"Wow, you have some luxury items here!" Aang said looking around.

"They aren't so luxury as you think, it's just basic stuff we need." Velvet explained giving her gauntlet to Eugille.

"But still, these items are incredible and exotic. I've never seen anything like this." Katara said, holding fabric in her arms. Velvet looked around and noticed a small box and opened it to reveal three gold coins.

"These are...!" Velvet said surprised and took out exact same coin from her pocket. "I knew it."

"What is it?" Sokka asked and saw the gold coins. "Jackpot!" Sokka tried to take them but Velvet kicked him away.

"These aren't normal gold coins, Sokka!" Velvet said irritated. "These coins are the mark of the Reaper, a pirate from Van Alita."

"I'm very surprised you know about them." Eugille said as he came back.

"I actually knew him, I've been sleeping for a thousand years." Velvet explained holding up her coin. "He helped a few times and became someone I could count on."

"Then you can keep them, we have no use for them." Eugille said and Velvet nodded as she puts on her gauntlet.

"There's a request I want before paying for the supplies." Velvet asked as Laphicet and the others came to her side. "You probably noticed I'm not really normal, I used to belong to a dark guild. That way I've noticed you're not really just merchants."

"What's your request?" Eugille asked knowing what she meant.

"I want you to find out where the Shepherd is and where he's headed." Velvet said.

A few minutes later, the gang was walking along the harbor after saying good bye to the Sparrowfeathers.

"I can't believe that he accepted it." Aang said excited. "Now it will be easier to find him."

"And his boss. What surprised me is that their boss is traveling with him." Laphicet said.

At the dock there is a large ship and a man is outside the ship calling out to the wanderers.

"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy! Come on by!" The man calls out and then he sees the gang walking by the ship and so he runs over to them but they keep walking. "Oh! You there! I can see by your clothes that you're world travelers. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?" The man offered making Aang stop.

"Sure! What're exotic curios?" Aang asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but we got 'em!" The man said as he leads the gang to the ship.

The gang looks around in what looks like a pirate ship and are looking at what the ship has and Katara is momentarily mesmerized by a stone monkey with large red rubies for eyes.

"I've never seen such fine specimen of lemur." A voice said they turn to see another man who is dressed like a pirate captain with a green parrot creature on his shoulder walking out of a dark doorway. "Those beasts would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in bartering." The man said as the parrot creature screams several times at Momo.

"Momo's not for sale." Aang said hugging the lemur protectively.

Katara walks over to a scroll rack and she sees that one of them is thinner and has a Water symbol at the end and so she opens it and looks at how to perform some moves with water.

"No way." Katara said as Laphicet walks over to her.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Look at this." Katara said giving Laphicet the scroll and he looks at it.

"These almost look like the moves you did, Katara." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. You know what this means?" Katara asked.

"What?" Laphicet asked.

"It's a Waterbending scroll." Katara said.

"Waterbending scroll?" Aang asked joining the two.

"Yeah! Look at these crazy moves." Katara said.

"Where did you get a Waterbending scroll?" Aang asked as the man takes the scroll and closes it.

"Let's just say I got it up north at a most reasonable price...free!" The man said as he places the scroll on the rack.

While Velvet is looking at the merchandise she turns around to the man after she heard what the man just said about getting the Waterbending scroll and she puzzles something out while still studying the stuff, as if it was familiar.

"Sis, what's wrong?" Laphicet asked.

"Wait a minute...sea loving traders, suspiciously acquired merchandise, and pet birds..." Velvet said and then she realizes something. "You people are pirates!" Velvet yelled pointing her finger at the man.

"Oh, we prefer to think of ourselves as high risk traders." The other man from before said but Velvet shows her coin making him back off.

"The mark of Van Alita, the ship of Van Aifread." The captain said.

"So how much for the 'traded' scroll'?" Katara asked.

"I've already got a buyer. A nobleman in the Earth Kingdom...unless of course, you kids have two hundred gold pieces on ya right now?" The man asked.

"I think I know how to handle these guys. Pirates love to haggle." Aang said.

"Aang, how do you know this will even work?" Katara asked.

"Just follow my lead. C'mon." Aang said and Katara gives him the two copper pieces. "Watch and learn." Aang walks over to the man. "What say you to the price of...one copper piece?" He holds one copper piece to the man with a wide grin on his face and the man laughs.

"The price is two hundred gold pieces. I don't haggle with an item this rare." The man said.

"Okay...two copper pieces!" Aang said now holding the two copper pieces to the man.

"Not as amusing the second time." The man said.

"Aang, can we get out here? I feel like we're getting weird looks." Katara said.

"Aye! We be castin' off now!" Aang said.

"What was that all about, Katara?" Laphicet asked as they leave the ship.

"Yeah. I was just starting to browse through their boomerang collection." Sokka said.

"I'll just feel better once we get away from here." Katara said.

Just then the pirate that solicited them earlier runs across the deck.

"Hey you! Get back here!" The pirate shouted and the gang turn around.

"Well, well. Look who's come to their senses." Aang said.

Just then a group of pirates exit the ship and go for the gang who are now surrounded and faced with well armed and angry pirates and the gang prepare themselves for a fight.

"Uh, I don't think these pirates are here to trade with us." Sokka said.

"I second that." Velvet said as she uses a strong wind based Arte that blows the pirates away.

"Run!" Laphicet said as the gang start running from the pirates.

"Hey! Get back here!" A pirate said as they get up and chase after the gang.

The gang run down an alley while the pirates are still chasing them and the pirates decide to split into two groups and one group goes after the gang.

"This way! We'll cut them off!" The pirate salesmen said and they go to a different direction.

The gang turn the corner around a building while pirates are still chasing them and Sokka skids while rounding the corner but he keeps going while Katara passes the corner and bends water from a nearby stall to the ground while freezing it making the pirates slip and fall to the ground and while gang are being chased, the cabbage merchant from before, happily nuzzles a cabbage before placing it on his portable stand and he starts to wheel it away but then Velvet, Katara, Sokka and Laphicet run by and bump the cart knocking some cabbages off but the cabbage merchant saves them but then Aang launches himself between the cart's canopy and the cabbages while emerging out the other side and Aang then turns around and bends air at the cart getting the pirates making a cloud of dust and the cabbage merchant looks at the sight with utter disbelief.

"MY CABBAGES! This place is worse than Omashu!" The cabbage merchant said as he walks away.

The gang run down another alley but as they were about to turn the next corner they face the pirate salesman and his men and so the gang run back to where they came but they see the pirates that were still chasing them confronting the gang.

"I hope that lemur have nine lives." One of the pirates said.

They run to a blind alley while turning to look at the chasers but they see the pirate salesman and his mates blocking the entrance and the pirate salesman takes out a pair of long knives.

"Now who would like to take the steel of my blade first?" The pirate salesman asked.

"No thanks!" Aang said as he bends a huge gust of wind at the pirates who are now blinded and confused allowing Aang to rush forward and open his glider while the others run behind and grab hold of Aang's legs. "Hold on tight!"

"Aang, I thought we were running away from the pirates!" Katara said.

"Just hang on!" Aang said.

The gang were having trouble gaining altitude and they bounce on the heads of many pirates they were trying to escape from and the gang are now airborne but they look back to see the pirates receding behind them but the gang return to river bank next to the waterfall and as they touch the ground Aang closes his glider.

"I used to kinda look up to pirates, but those guys were terrible." Aang said.

"I know. That's why I took...this!" Katara said as she takes out the Waterbending scroll shocking everyone.

"No way." Laphicet said.

"Isn't this great?" Katara asked.

"No it's not. That was probably the reason why they were trying to hack us. You stole their Waterbending scroll." Sokka said.

"I'd like to think of it as 'high risk trading'." Katara said mocking the pirate salesman making Aang laugh.

"Good one, Katara." Aang said.

"Sokka, where do you think they got it? They stole it from a Waterbender." Katara said.

"That doesn't matter." Sokka said.

"For once, I agree with Sokka. You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid fancy splashes." Velvet said.

"What do you mean 'for once'?" Sokka asked but Velvet ignores the question.

"These are real Waterbending forms, Velvet. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn Waterbending." Katara said.

"I know, but still, you shouldn't have taken it. Laphi, help me out here." Velvet said.

"Well, Katara does have a point. It is crucial for Aang to learn Waterbending, but Katara, Velvet is also right. You shouldn't have stolen that scroll from those pirates so they wouldn't have to chase us out." Laphicet said.

"Well, what's done is done. We have it now." Aang said.

"Whatever." Sokka said walking off.

"Pirates aren't people who takes a small things easily." Velvet said also walking away.

"I guess we'll have to start learning from that thing now." Aang said.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is docked at the port village and Zuko and Iroh are in the marketplace and Zuko's arms are crossed as he is obviously unhappy and sees Iroh coming to him.

"I checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace." Iroh said.

"Well, it's good to know that this trip was a complete WASTE OF TIME FOR EVERYONE!" Zuko shouted.

"Quite the contrary. I always say the only thing better than finding something you were looking for is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!" Iroh said as the Fire soldiers walk by carrying armloads of stuff that Iroh bought and one of them is a brass instrument.

"You bought a sumki horn?" Zuko asked.

"For music night on the ship. Now if only we had some woodwinds." Iroh said as they walk down the market street and they see a pirate ship. "Oh, that looks promising!" They enter the ship and while looking around, Iroh looks at the ruby eyed monkey. "This is handsome! Wouldn't it look nice in the galley?"

As Zuko is looking around the shop he sees the pirate barker talking to the pirate captain while Iroh picks up the ruby eyed monkey.

"We lost the Water Tribe girl, the black haired woman, and the bald monk she was travelling with." The pirate barker informed the pirate captain and Zuko walks over.

"This monk and this black haired woman. Did the monk have an arrow on his head and did the black haired woman have bandages on her left arm?" Zuko asked.

Meanwhile back at the river bank Katara and Aang are by the river while Laphicet is with them and she's holding open the Waterbending scroll.

"I just want to try this one move out first and then you get to practice." Katara said as she reads the scroll move. "'The single water whip'? Looks doable." She gets into a Waterbending stance prescribed in the scroll and she raises her hand to pick up a stream of water and starts whipping around around but the water hits her forehead making Sokka laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, but you deserved that. You've been duped. She's only interested in teaching herself." Sokka said and earned another punch in the head by Velvet. "I deserve that."

"Aang will get his turn once I figure out the water whip!" Katara said as she tries again but then her water whip goes erratically and it accidentally whips Momo in his behind causing him to cry in pain and fly off and Katara grunts in frustration. "Why can't I get this stupid move?!"

"You'll get it." Aang said earning a glare from Katara as he walks to the river and he also makes a water whip correctly. "You see, Katara, you just gotta shift your weight through the stances." He freely and gracefully manipulates the water whip as he hits in the air and then puts the water back into the river. "There. You see, the key to bending is..." Aang was then cut off by Katara's outburst.

"Will you PLEASE SHUT YOUR AIR HOLE?! Believe it or not, your infinite wisdom is getting old sometimes! Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you are so naturally gifted!" Katara yelled and then she looks at Velvet, Laphicet and Sokka who don't give her approved looks. "What?" She turns to Aang who is frightened by Katara's outburst and he's about to cry making her feel guilty. "Oh, gosh, Aang. I'm so sorry. I don't what came over me, but you know what, it won't happen again." Katara then closes the scroll and gives it to Aang. "Here, it's yours now. I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore."

"It's okay, Katara." Aang said.

"Momo, I'm sorry I whipped you unintentionally." Katara said while Momo is rubbing his sore behind.

"Hey. What about me? Ya know, the time when you..." Sokka was cut off by Velvet's kick in his face.

"NO more apologies!" Velvet said.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship deploys a small cutter craft and the cutter craft and the pirate ship both move up on the river and Zuko and the pirate captain are on the deck of one of the ships.

"Shouldn't we search the woods?" The pirate captain asked.

"We don't need to. They stole a Waterbending scroll right?" Zuko asked.

"That's right." The pirate captain answered.

"Then they'll be on the water." Zuko said.

It is now nighttime and the gang are asleep but Katara is still awake and so she gets up from her sleeping bag and silently takes the Waterbending scroll from Aang's bag and she starts to walk away while looking back guiltily from the camp but as she turns back to see Momo confronting her while he's sitting on a tree trunk and he chitters at Katara.

"Quiet, Momo! Go back to sleep!" Katara whispered and Momo chitters again but she shushes him again and walks off.

Katara is near the river and she's trying to learn the Water Whip again but she's failing to produce it and she gets frustrated again.

"Come on, water! Work with me here!" Katara said as she lifts another glob of water and tries to manipulate it but she's still having trouble.

"Looks like you're still having trouble." A voice behind Katara she turns to see Velvet leaning against a tree.

"Sorry. I just want to learn this stupid move." Katara said.

"Well, you are practicing. You just need to keep trying until you get it." Velvet said.

"I know. Are you here to watch me fail?" Katara asked and Velvet shocked her head.

"You're jealous over Aang is learn Waterbending faster than you." Velvet said.

"Yeah, I just got a little jealous because he was getting better at Waterbending than I am." Katara said.

"I don't blame you." Velvet said sitting down by the water. "Everyone does get jealous of something. Even me."

"Thanks." Katara said.

"You know something, me and Laphi discussed this earlier that we somehow feel comfortable to talk to you about our past." Velvet said and chuckled a little.

"You don't mind me asking, what made the pirates scared of a coin?" Katara asked remembering Eugille and the pirates looks.

"Van Alita is a very famous pirate ship and it's famous captain Van Aifread. There's no pirate that don't know him or his crew." Velvet explained taking out the coin. "There's this malak who used this coin as a vessel since it need a curse to do it. His name was Eizen The Reaper."

"Wow, he sounds scary." Katara said a little frightened.

"He isn't as scary as you think. When he meets Malakim younger than him, he becomes very soft and caring like an older brother." Velvet said. "We made a deal, we help him find his captain if he helped me get to Arturious. Eizen later on told me and my group about he had a little sister but never told us her name and we sort of met her but it was copy. Know what's funny, every time I get caught off guard, I'll get blasted with fire." They both laugh over the comment.

"How does your back feel, does it hurt?" Katara asked.

"No, but the fire made from Firebending can make anyone paralyzed in pain, that's what happened to me. It hurt so much, it weakened me to the core. Just like when I first encountered Arturious for the first time." Velvet said standing up. "Anyway, I'll be going back to sleep now. Want to come?"

"No thanks. I still need to get this stupid move and then I'll sleep." Katara said.

"Very well then. Good night, Katara." Velvet said as she walk out.

"Good night." Katara said.

While Katara is still working the Water Whip move Zuko and the pirate captain hear noises and they look at each other to assume if it's someone they're after and Katara picks up another stream of water.

"Okay, Katara. Shift your weight through the stance." Katara said to herself as she tries it but the stream of water falls back into the river and she grunts.

Just then Katara hears a noise of grinding metal and so she goes over to a row of bushes and looks over them to see Zuko's cutter craft on the river bank and she gasps and runs but a pirate is standing in front of her and grabs her.

"No! Let go of me!" Katara yelled as she water whips the pirate making him let go and she runs again but this time Zuko is in front of her and he grabs her.

"I'll save you from the pirates." Zuko said.

Later on Katara is now tied to a small tree trunk and her hands are tied behind the trunk while being surrounded by Zuko, his Fire soldiers, and the pirates.

"Tell me where they are and I won't hurt you or your brother." Zuko said.

"Go jump in a river!" Katara snapped.

"Try to understand. I need to capture them to restore something I've lost. My honor. Maybe in exchange I can restore something you've lost." Zuko said as he holds Katara's necklace in place where her neck is and Katara is shocked.

"My mother's necklace! How did you get that?!" Katara demanded.

"I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering. Tell where they are." Zuko said.

"No!" Katara yelled.

"Enough with this necklace garbage. You promised the scroll." The pirate captain said.

Zuko takes out the scroll but he then he makes fire in his palm and it's dancing under the scroll Zuko is holding in the air.

"I wonder how much this is worth?" Zuko asked with his fire still dancing in his palm as he's still holding the scroll in the air shocking the pirates. "A lot apparently. Now help me find what I want, you'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and the woman and meet back here."

"Fine." The pirate captain replied as he walks off.

Meanwhile the gang are still sleeping until Sokka starts to wake up and he notices Katara's empty sleeping bag.

"Huh? Where did she go?" Sokka asked as he starts searching everyone's bags. "I don't believe it!" Everyone else wakes up.

"What're you crying about now?" Velvet asked.

"She took the scroll!" Sokka said.

"Who cares?" Velvet asked.

"I do! She probably took it so she could learn those moves." Sokka said.

"Oh, no. What a nightmare! Oh, poor Sokka. Whatever shall we do?" Velvet mocked earning a glare from Sokka.

"This isn't funny!" Sokka said.

"Listen, I already knew she took the scroll to learn those moves. I saw her doing that." Velvet said.

"You didn't bother stopping her?" Sokka asked.

"She just wanted to learn how to Waterbend better." Velvet said. "So I decided to keep her company."

"This isn't the point." Sokka said.

"No one cares what you say, Sokka." Velvet said.

"Look, I'm just saying she's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us into deep..." Sokka was cut off by sling thrown at his hands wrapping them up and then he gets pulled screaming.

He lands in front of a pirate who throws another sling at him but he rolls out of the way allowing Sokka to grabb his hockey stick and he charges while this is happening the others turn to see a huge beefy pirate with two crossbows with nets tied between them and he aims at Aang and Velvet, he fires at the two but Aang bends airballs but the net passes through them and the nets get Aang and Velvet rolling them up into nice neat bundles and they are thrown backwards onto the ground and another pirate drags them away leaving the others.

"Oh, what? I'm not good enough to kidnap?" Sokka asked and another net gets him along with Laphicet and they get dragged as well.

"You really are an idiot, Sokka." Laphicet said.

"What?" Sokka asked.

Everyone is on the other part of the river bank and Zuko and his men face the pirates as Zuko is still holding the scroll while the pirates are holding Aang, Velvet, Sokka and Laphicet while Katara is still tied against the tree and Iroh is standing next to her.

"Nice work." Zuko said.

"Guys, I'm sorry. This is my fault." Katara said.

"No, Katara. It isn't." Aang said.

"Yeah. It kind of is." Iroh said earning a glare from Katara.

"Give me those three." Zuko said pointing at Aang, Velvet and Laphicet.

"You give us the scroll first." The pirate captain said.

"You're really gonna hand over two Arte users and the Avatar over some stupid piece of parchment?" Sokka asked.

"Don't listen to him! He's just trying to turn us against each other!" Zuko said and the pirate captain looks at Velvet, Laphicet and Aang.

"Your friends are Arte users and the Avatar?" The pirate captain asked.

"Sure are and I'll bet they'll fetch a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll." Sokka said.

"Shut your mouth, you half-naked imbecile!" Zuko yelled.

"Yeah, Sokka. You should REALLY shut your mouth." Aang warned.

"And maybe KEEP it shut?" Velvet warned.

"Hey. I'm just sayin', it's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for two Arte users and the Avatar. You guys would be set for life." Sokka said.

"Keep the scroll! We can buy a hundred with the reward we will get for these children." The pirate captain said as he and his men walk away and take the gang.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me!" Zuko said as he and his soldiers unleash a torrent of flame at the ground where the pirates are walking on but the pirates jump out of the way.

The pirates then charge at the Fire soldiers and combat ensues between them.

"I must say, Sokka, you're a genius." Aang said.

"I knew taking advantage of their greed would pay off." Sokka said.

"But we're still bound." Laphicet said.

"Not for long, we won't." Velvet said.

Zuko and his men charge at the gang but as they get near four pirates jump in to defend their captives and they drop smoke bombs surrounding the battlefield with fog and while the Fire soldiers remain still the pirates pull them in and they continue to fight and while this is happening Katara is still tied against the tree but Momo bites on her bonds to free her.

"Thanks, Momo. I owe you a bushel of apples." Katara said.

In the smoke while the Fire soldiers and the pirates are fighting Laphicet is running through the smoke while coughing, he sees a throwing star and spear but he misses and he uses the spear to cut his bonds free and while this is happening Zuko escapes from the smoke while putting the Waterbending scroll on his waistband but then he sees the pirate captain attacking him with his sword but Zuko moves and gets into his Firebending stance and the two begin to fight and while they are fighting a pirate throws a sling that removes the scroll from Zuko but Momo intercept the sling and it returns to the pirate. Momo takes the scroll and he flies away but then being chased by the pirate captain's parrot creature and it tackles Momo, making him drop the scroll into the smoke filled battlefield and during the fight Sokka crawl on the ground and out of the smoke a knife buries itself on the ground in front of Sokka, shocking him but he use its blade to cut his bonds free.

"Aang! Are you there?" Sokka called.

"I'm over here! Just follow my voice!" Aang called back while jumping out of the smoke cloud and coming back down.

"Where?! We can't find you!" Sokka called back.

"I'm right here!" Aang called back as he bends the air to blow away the smoke making it clear but then he sees the Fire soldiers and pirates still fighting and they look at him but he quickly closes the smoke around them. "Uh, never mind! I'll find you guys!"

Sokka and Laphicet crawl out of the smoke and Velvet and Aang jump out of it over Sokka's head.

"Run!" Velvet said as they run where they see Katara pushing the pirate ship off the bank.

"Katara! You're okay!" Laphicet said.

"Help me push this thing back into the water so we can get out of here!" Katara said as they help her push but to no avail.

"We need a team of rhinos to budge this ship." Sokka said.

"A team of rhinos..." Velvet stops talking.

"Or two Waterbenders?" Aang asked looking at Katara who smiles.

Aang and Katara are pulling the river back and forth slowly raising the water level making the ship float.

"Everybody in!" Velvet said.

Zuko and the pirate captain are still fighting but then Iroh break them up.

"Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship set sail?" Iroh asked.

"We don't have time for your proverbs, Uncle." Zuko said.

"It's no proverb." Iroh said pointing at the pirate that's sailing down the river much to the pirate captain's shock.

"Bleedin' hog-monkeys!" The pirate captain yelled as he runs after the ship and Zuko laughs.

They then see Zuko's own ship being loaded with pirates who are taunting Zuko and one of the pirates moon him making him infuriated.

"Hey! That's MY boat!" Zuko yelled as he runs after them.

"Or maybe it should be a proverb." Iroh said.

"Come on, Uncle!" Zuko called and Iroh run after him.

On the pirate ship, Laphicet is looking astern at Zuko's ship filled with pirates chasing after the pirate ship.

"Sokka, can't you make this thing go any faster?" Laphicet asked Sokka who is standing at the wheel of the ship.

"I don't know how. This ship wasn't made by the Water Tribe." Sokka said.

Just then on Laphicet's side, the cutter craft is passing them and when they draw parallel the pirates start jumping onto the pirate ship and they attack but Velvet used her Soul Break: Thunder Blitz to knock pirates overboard, then two pirates approach Katara who backs away and Aang bend water into a huge wave onto the deck and washes one pirate overboard but while the second is still gaining on Katara, she successfully creates a water whip and smacks the other pirate knocking him overboard but another pirate is behind her but Laphicet uses his fire Artes to knock him overboard.

"Thanks, Laphicet." Katara said.

"No problem." Laphicet said.

"Katara, you just did the water whip!" Aang said.

"I couldn't have done it without you." Katara said.

"Will you three stop congratulating each other and help me out?!" Sokka yelled as he's being held by the beefy pirate and the pirate barker.

"Will you stop acting like you're three-years-old?" Velvet asked.

Momo is still flying while still being chased by the parrot creature but then Momo distract it, making it charge at him but Momo successfully traps the bird by wrapping it around with the pirate ship's flag.

The beefy pirate then throws Sokka into the sail in front of him as he screams while being thrown and he falls to the deck below.

"Oh, yeah! That's good!" The pirate barker said but then Velvet drops in front of them and in lightning speed, sending the beefy pirate into the water.

While Sokka gets up after being thrown, everyone is on the bridge deck but then Katara look at something in front of them.

"Guys, look!" Katara pointing forward at the end of the river which means they are nearing a huge waterfall.

"Oh, no!" Aang said as the pirate barker is behind him drawing his blade and Aang turns to face him and he takes out his bison whistle and he starts to blow with no effect confusing the pirate barker but then Velvet punches and roundhouse kicks the pirate barker knocking him overboard and Sokka takes the whistle from Aang.

"Have you lost your mind?! This is no time for flute practice!" Sokka yelled but Velvet whacks him and she gives Aang his whistle back.

Laphicet and Katara are looking over the starboard railing of the ship at the rapidly approaching waterfall.

"What're we gonna do?" Velvet asked.

"We can try and stop this boat." Aang said.

"You're right. Let's push and pull the water together." Katara said.

"Hurry before we're all in for a huge fall." Laphicet said.

Aang and Katara begin pushing and pulling the water as the ship is getting close to the waterfall but Aang's and Katara's Waterbending is making the ship stop.

"We're doing it!" Katara said.

"But we have another problem!" Velvet said pointing at the cutter craft getting closer.

The cutter craft is bearing down on the pirate ship while the pirate ship is hovering at the edge of the fall and the left of the cutter craft enters the scream and rams the pirate ship making the gang scream at the impact that's lifting the starboard side of the pirate ship out of the water and making the ship list badly to port and the list becomes so bad that the gang fall from the ship and over the falls and the pirate ship is falling behind them and while the gang are falling Appa swoops in just in time and they land on his back and Appa flies away from the falling pirate ship which gets destroyed as it hits the bottom in a cloud of water and debris and while Appa is flying Aang looks at his bison whistle happily.

"I knew a bison whistle would come in handy." Aang said.

"And you said it was a piece of junk." Velvet said.

"Shut up!" Sokka replied.

"Thanks, Appa." Aang said.

"Yeah. Great timing." Katara said and Appa grunts in response.

Zuko and Iroh run up to the river bank near the waterfall.

"My boat!" Zuko yelled.

"Prince Zuko, you're going to get a kick out of this. The missing lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" Iroh said taking out his lotus tile out of his sleeve with a big grin on his face.

Zuko is trying to control his temper and while Iroh is still holding onto his lotus tile, Zuko quickly snatches it from him and Zuko throws it as far away from them as possible and it lands on one of the pirates' heads while they are floating downstream.

Appa is still flying through the sky and everyone is on the saddle and Katara is kneeling down with a downcast look.

"Aang, I'm sorry. You were just so good at Waterbending without even trying, I got too competitive that I put us all in danger. I'm sorry." Katara said.

"It's okay, Katara." Aang said.

"Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway." Katara said.

"Is that REALLY how you feel?" Velvet asked showing her the scroll.

"The scroll!" Katara said shocked.

"I found it in that smoke cloud while trying to avoid getting killed during the fight." Velvet answered and she sees Katara reaching for the scroll but Velvet pulls it away and she uses her other hand to stop Katara. "Not so fast, Katara. What did you learn?"

"Stealing is wrong." Katara answered.

"That's right. Unless it's from pirates." Velvet said smirking while giving Katara the scroll, Laphicet and Aang laugh.

"Good one, sis!" Laphicet said.

"Thanks, Velvet." Katara said.

"You're welcome." Velvet said.

"What about thieves?" Sokka asked.

"That too." Velvet said.

"Thugs?" Sokka asked.

"That too." Velvet said.

"Oh, you guys." Aang said and Velvet, Katara, and Laphicet laugh.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Sokka:** So you were a pirate?

 **Velvet:** Yes.

 **Sokka:** You know a famous pirate captain?

 **Velvet:** Yes.

 **Sokka:** And a pirate was kind of a rival?

 **Velvet:** Will you stop asking questions! Next: Jet.

 **Sokka:** Isn't-

 **Velvet:** One more word and I'll devour you.


	10. Chapter 10

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 10**

 **Jet**

In a deciduous forest with trees covered in red and orange leaves a little yellow beetle scuttles from around a branch and towards the tree trunk and the beetle was then covered in a big shadow revealing to be Momo who swoops in to catch the beetle but the beetle opens its carapace and flies off before Momo could even touch it as he lands on the ground. The beetle flies up the tree trunk while Momo climb after it and he ring the tree until he fly down, when the beetle lands on the ground and Momo land in a pounce at it but the beetle flies off again before the lemur even caught it. Momo is looking at and it's a neat pile of what looks like apple-like nuts sitting on a pile of leaves.

Momo pounce at the fruit pile but then copper colored slats snap up from the leaves and surround him in a sphere and the slats start running up by a pole that's paralleled to the ground until the sphere shifts so that the pole is on top and the snare sphere that Momo is still in is sprung into the air where other two snare spheres are hanging and Momo's snare sphere stop at the same level of the two other snare spheres which are holding two hog-monkeys that are making loud noises. Momo makes loud noises as well.

Meanwhile Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sokka and Laphicet are sitting in a different clearing in the forest taking a break from travel.

"Where's Momo?" Aang asked. Momo's yowl echoes through the forest and the gang followed it.

They arrive at the other clearing looking from the ground level and they see the three snares above them.

"Hang on, Momo!" Aang said as he leaps up climbing to Momo by rebounding up nearby tree trunks.

Aang goes up to a branch, sits down, and then flips over the branch dangling beneath it and he finds a rope entering a small winch from lower on the tree trunk and so Aang grabs the rope, releases a latch on the winch, and carefully feeds it more line making Momo's snare go down to the others who are still on the ground and help ease the snare down to the ground between them and together they pull the slats apart for an exit allowing Momo to escape easily. Momo finish eating the fruit nuts while the gang release the snare.

Aang jumps down to the others but then he looks up to see the two other snares that are still holding the hog-monkeys on a different branch.

"Okay. You guys too." Aang said.

"This is gonna take forever." Sokka said throwing his boomerang to cut the ropes making the snares fall to the ground causing the snares to be opened allowing the hog-monkeys to escape.

"That worked." Aang said as Sokka approaches one of the busted snares and examines it.

"Fire Nation. You can tell by the metal work." Sokka said.

"We should pack up camp and get out of here." Velvet said.

They return to their camp and Sokka packs his stuff up while Katara passes the other gear to Aang who is on Appa's head and Sokka sees this.

"Uh-uh. No flying this time." Sokka said.

"What?" Velvet asked.

"Why wouldn't we fly?" Laphicet asked.

"Think about it. Somehow Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they see Appa. He's too noticeable." Sokka said.

"What? Appa is not noticeable." Katara said.

"He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head. It's kinda hard to miss him." Sokka said and Appa groans.

"Sokka's just jealous because doesn't have an arrow." Aang said.

"Look, I know you all want to fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe and walk this time." Sokka said.

"Who made YOU the boss?" Laphicet asked.

"I'm not the boss. I'm the leader." Sokka said making Velvet and Katara laugh.

"YOU? The leader? Your voice still cracks." Katara said.

"I'm the oldest and I'm the warrior so I'm the leader." Sokka said.

"YOU'RE not older than ME, kid. I AM." Velvet said crossing her arms addressing herself.

"Okay. You are older, but I'm still leader." Sokka said.

"In your dreams. If anyone is the leader, it should be Aang. I mean he's the Avatar." Katara said.

"Are you kidding? Aang's just a goofy kid!" Sokka said.

"You know, Sokka. I may be goofy sometimes, but that wasn't really called for." Aang said a little offended.

"Then I say Velvet should be the leader. She's smarter than you, stronger than you, and is a better warrior than you'll ever be." Laphicet said.

"But she's bossy." Sokka said.

"Is that so?" Velvet asked giving Sokka her evil eye again.

"Nope. Not at all." Sokka said as he quickly put his gear on his back.

"I swear why do boys always think someone has to be the leader? I bet you wouldn't even be bossy if you kissed a girl." Katara said.

"I kissed a girl. You just haven't met her." Sokka said.

"Who? Gran Gran? I've met Gran Gran." Katara said.

"Or maybe it's that..." Velvet was cut off by Sokka.

"Don't say anything. I've kissed a female besides Gran Gran." Sokka said and everyone looks at him. "Okay, fine. Velvet's the leader, but I still say we should go on foot because I trust my instincts."

"Fine. We'll go for your way...for today. After that, you'll keep your mouth shut." Katara said.

"Fine." Sokka said.

"Who knows? Walking might be fun." Aang said who is now wearing a backpack.

The gang are walking through the forest with Sokka and Velvet in front while Aang, Katara and Laphicet follow them.

"Walking STINKS! How do people get around without a flying bison?" Aang asked.

"I usually walk or taking a boat to where I need to be, so this became a normal thing for me." Velvet explained and looked over her shoulder to see Laphicet getting a bit tired. "Laphi, you can ride on my back if you like?" Laphicet nodded and Velvet got down as the younger sibling got up on her back.

"How long until we get out of this forest?" Laphicet asked.

"I don't know, Wendy. Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts? They seem to know everything." Katara said.

"Very funny." Sokka said sarcastically.

"I'm so tired of carrying this pack." Aang said.

"I know who you should ask to carry it for you. Sokka's instincts." Katara said.

"Great idea! Hey, Sokka's instincts, would you mind..." Aang was cut off by Sokka.

"Okay, okay! Look, guys, I'm tired too, but the important thing is that we're safe from..." Sokka cuts himself off as he opens the bushes in front of him and then turns to see what's behind the bushes. "...the Fire...Nation."

The gang are now in a clearing that has Fire Nation encampment and Fire Nation soldiers turn to look at the gang with hatred as Velvet puts Laphicet down.

"Any ideas now, Sokka?" Velvet asked.

"I've got one. RUN!" Sokka said but the Fire soldiers bend flames at them but they dodge and the flames block their path.

"Great. Now we're cut off." Laphicet said and he notices something on Sokka's left sleeve. "Also, Sokka, your sleeve's on fire."

"Ahh!" Sokka screams in panic.

Katara bends water from a pouch on her side and uses the water to get rid of the fire on Sokka's sleeve and Katara bends the water back into the container but the gang are surrounded by Fire soldiers with weapons in their hands while fire is still burning behind them and the gang get ready to fight.

"If you let us pass, we won't hurt you." Sokka said but Velvet punched him.

"What's wrong with you?" Velvet asked. "What are you doing?"

"Bluffing..." Sokka said.

"Good call, genius." Laphicet said and one of Fire soldiers with an eye patch laughs.

"YOU won't hurt US?" The one-eyed Fire soldier scoffed but then he groans and falls to the ground.

"Good work, Sokka. How'd you do that?" Katara asked.

"Uh, instinct?" Sokka answered unsure.

"Look!" Aang said pointing up at a branch of a nearby tree.

A figure which turns out to be a teenage boy is standing on the branch and draws two hook shaped blades and instead of falling from the branch he uses the hook blades to grab onto the branch and slings himself to the camp and then he lands two Fire soldiers on their backs sending them to the ground but another pair of soldiers charge at the teenage boy but he rushes forward with his hook blades in each hand and uses them to hook their legs each sending them to the air while the teenage boy does a back flip and they land on the one-eyed soldier and the teenage boy lands on them.

"Down you go." The teenage boy said and the gang look at him. Katara looks impressed while Velvet gives an unimpressed look while the others watch in awe except for Sokka.

Another soldier rushes at the teenage boy ready to slash with his sword but the teenage boy hooks his opponent's sword hand and spins and the teenage boy finishes the job and is ready to face another opponent and they prepare to attack but then a soldier looks up.

"There! In the tree!" The soldier said and just then a small boy jumps down and lands on the soldier while spinning his helmet blinding the soldier making him stagger and the small boy laughs.

The three soldiers then start to make their move but then arrows flying to soldiers and disarm the weapons and they see someone on a branch reaching for two arrows and he shoots them while hanging upside down and the arrows disarm the other two soldiers allowing another person to leap from a low branch to the ground scaring the two soldiers away but a swordsman charges at the person but the person ducks and lets the swordsman run into his back and tosses the opponent up onto a branch but the second swordsman attacks with more caution but the person grabs him, spins him around, and then throws him and goes off to face another opponent while another person with a knife joins the fight and attacks.

While the teenage boy is still fighting against other soldiers he watches as the gang are joining the fray and Aang Airbends while Katara Waterbends while Velvet and Laphicet works as a team with Velvet knocking the soldier with normal weapons, destroying them while Laphicet took care of Firebenders.

Sokka readies his boomerang while making a battle cry and a soldier charges at Sokka but before Sokka did anything the teenage boy shows up and and uses his hook blades to pole vault him in the chest knocking the soldier away and Sokka groans.

"Hey! He was mine!" Sokka said.

"Gotta be quicker next time." The teenage boy replied as he goes off to find another opponent.

Two soldiers run but then a massive person gets in their way shocking the soldiers and the big guy towers over them but the two soldiers recover their expressions and get ready to fight but the giant takes out a log and attacks with it bending their swords and so they back off and run again and while the teenage boy watched the whole thing a spearman attacks the teenage boy but he quickly blocks the attack with his hook blades and the two struggle until the teenage boy spins and sidesteps the spear with one hook blade free and he hooks the spearman and sends him flying off along with his spear with its end striking another soldier which turned out to be Sokka's opponent and groans again.

"Aw, man!" Sokka whined.

Another spearman attacks the teenage boy but he catches the spearpoint with his hook blade and redirects it away from him taking the soldier with it pushing it free but the soldier recovers his stance and the teenage boy does the same and he catches the speartip with his hook blade and angles the spear to the ground and then he runs up to it, leaps and kicks off the back of the soldier's helmet stumbling a few steps forward before stopping in front of Katara and Velvet.

"Hey." The teenage boy said.

"Hi." Katara said while Velvet just didn't say anything and the three of them look at the encampment now empty.

"You just took down a whole army almost single-handed!" Aang said.

"Army? There were only like twenty guys." Sokka said.

"My name's Jet and these are my Freedom Fighters. Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak." Jet introduced himself and his Freedom Fighters.

"Pipsqueak, huh? That's a funny name." Aang said chuckling and walking over to the small boy who turns out to be The Duke.

"You think my name is funny?" The giant asked who turns out to be Pipsqueak making Aang a little nervous.

"It's hilarious!" Aang said and Pipsqueak starts laughing along with The Duke, Aang joins the laughter and then Pipsqueak slaps Aang on the back knocking him down to the ground face first making The Duke stop laughing but Aang laughs again with Pipsqueak.

Everyone is still at the Fire Nation camp and the members of Jet's gang are checking for weapons or supply crates while Jet is reclining against a tree trunk and Katara approaches him.

"Uh, Jet, thanks for saving us. We were lucky you were here." Katara said.

"Actually, I should be thanking you. We were waiting to ambush those soldiers all morning. Just needed the right distraction and then you guys stumbled in." Jet said.

"We were just relying on instincts. That's all." Laphicet said.

"You'll get yourself killed doing that." Jet said, unknowing to them Sokka heard the conversation, he closes his eyes in frustration and walks away.

Pipsqueak and The Duke search inside a barrel next to a tent and The Duke sees what looks like green goo in the barrel.

"Hey, Jet. These barrels are filled with blasting jelly." The Duke said.

"That's a great score." Jet said.

"And these boxes are filled with jelly candy!" Pipsqueak said holding a crate.

"Also nice. Let's try and not to get them mixed up." Jet said.

"We'll take this stuff back to our hideout." Pipsqueak said.

"Hideout?" Laphicet asked.

"You guys have a hideout?" Aang asked.

"You wanna see it?" Jet asked and Velvet was about to open her mouth but then Katara quickly cuts in.

"Yes we'd like to see it!" Katara answered in a begging position and Jet smiles.

"Um, thanks, but we still need to move on and not waste anymore time here." Velvet said.

"C'mon, Velvet, let's just stay there for one night." Aang said and Velvet sighs.

"Okay, fine. We'll look at your stupid hideout." Velvet said.

The gang are walking along the forest floor with Jet and his gang and as they keep walking Jet stops in front.

"Okay. We're here." Jet said.

"Where? I don't see anything." Sokka said.

"Here. Hold this." Jet said giving Sokka and rope with a loop on the end.

"Why? What does this do?" Sokka asked as he holds a rope and then he gets pulled as well into the tree canopy but gets stuck in the leafy branches.

After everyone else gets pulled Jet offers another rope to Aang.

"Aang?" Jet asked.

"I can get up on my own." Aang said as he leaps up to the tree.

"Velvet?" Jet offered a rope.

"I'm no damsel in distress! I can get up by myself too!" Velvet said as she also jump from branch to branch up the tree.

"Ow. Talk about an ice princess." Jet said.

"She's nice once you get to know her." Katara said as Jet holds a rope.

"Yeah. Grab hold of me, Katara." Jet said offering his free hand.

"Okay." Katara said as she takes Jet's hand.

Jet's rope starts to pull them into a spin while Katara holds onto Jet and she blushes but unknowing to them, Velvet who stopped jumping up the tree watches this with disgust as Katara is embracing Jet while they are still being pulled in the air but she's doing it for support while Jet is focusing on their ascent and Velvet is just more disgusted and keeps jumping.

 _'Something about that guy rubs me the wrong way. He appears charming, but I can't help but think there's something wrong about him.'_ Velvet thought. _'Like someone I know.'_

Katara and Jet see a plank platform in the canopy and they rise through a hole in the floor and they both land on it and Jet lets go of the rope and Katara looks around and sees wooden stairs spiraling up the tree trunk and suspension bridge that links their platform to somewhere else and they see Aang, Momo and Laphicet sliding across a rope as Velvet arrives.

"Nice place ya got!" Aang said while still sliding.

"Yeah! It's really cool!" Laphicet said also sliding.

Katara and Jet both start walking to the bridge and they see nearby trees with same platforms, stairs, and bridges and some platforms have tent huts.

"It's so beautiful." Katara said.

"It's beautiful and more importantly, the Fire Nation can't find us." Jet said and Smellerbee joins the two.

"They'd love to find you, wouldn't they, Jet?" Smellerbee asked.

"That's not gonna happen." Jet said, then Velvet and Sokka join them while Aang, Momo and Laphicet are still playing on the zipline.

"Why does the Fire Nation want to find you?" Velvet asked.

"I guess you could say that I've been causing them a little trouble. They took over a nearby Earth Kingdom village a few years back." Jet explained.

"We've been ambushing the troops, cuttin' off their supply lines, and doing anything to mess with them." Pipsqueak said.

"I suppose that's what's expected from young rebels." Velvet said.

"One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out of here for good and free that village." Jet said.

"That's so brave." Katara said.

"Yeah, nothing's braver than a guy in a treehouse." Sokka said sarcastically.

"Don't pay any attention to my brother." Katara said already annoyed with Sokka today.

"No problem. I'm sure he's had a rough day." Jet said.

"So you all live here?" Katara asked.

"That's right. Longshot's town has been burned down by the Fire Nation. We found The Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever had a home." Jet said.

"What about you?" Katara asked and Jet stops walking while everyone else keeps walking.

"The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever." Jet said.

"Sokka and I lost our mother to Fire Nation." Katara said.

"I'm so sorry, Katara." Jet said.

 _'I still don't like this guy, even if it sounds like my life. The Fire Nation shouldn't be worse than Arturious when he ruled the world.'_ Velvet thought.

"Velvet, what's wrong?" Katara said.

"Nothing." Velvet answered as she walks away and begins to talk with herself. "I just can't stand this guy. He seems nice, but like I said, there's something about him that makes me sick. He acts far too familiar to the man I hate."

It's now getting dark outside and in the hideout some people are keeping watch on the upper part of the hideout while everyone else are sitting on a table eating and drinking and Jet climbs on the table for his announcement.

"Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine!" Jet began and everyone on the table and on the upper platform cheer at this while Velvet doesn't care while Sokka looks grumpy as usual. "I got special joy when I saw the look on that one soldier's face when The Duke dropped down on his helmet and rode him like a wild hog-monkey." The Duke gets on the table as well and takes cheers from other people until he sits back down. "Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a bunch of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right..." Everyone boos. "...or maybe they're DEAD WRONG!" Everyone cheers wildly and Jet sits down between Katara and Velvet, who turns her head away.

"That was a nice speech, Jet." Katara said.

"Thanks. I was really impressed with you and Aang. That was some great bending you guys did. Velvet and Laphicet are pretty good fighters too." Jet said.

"Thanks, Jet!" Laphicet said.

"Well, Aang and Velvet are great. Aang's the Avatar and Velvet's a really strong Arte user. I still have more training." Katara said.

"The Avatar and an Arte user, huh? Very nice." Jet said.

"Thanks, Jet." Aang said.

"Better than you." Velvet mumbled.

"Sis, you seem irritated. What's going on with you?" Laphicet asked.

"It's nothing." Velvet said, standing up but felt something was near. "I'll go around and hunt down some Hellions."

"Hey, I was thinking you guys might wanna help us with our little struggle." Jet said.

"Well, I wish we could, but we have to leave." Sokka said.

"For once, I agree with him." Velvet said stopping.

"Really?" Sokka asked.

"The ONLY reason why I agreed with you is because Aang and Katara need to get to the North Pole, and my brother and I need to find whoever awakened us. Nothing more, stupid. See ya WHEN we see you." Velvet said as she starts to jump down to the ground.

"Velvet, wait!" Laphicet called out but Velvet didn't listen.

"I'll follow her." Jet said. "I needed you both on an important mission tomorrow, Sokka."

"What mission?" Sokka asked.

Meanwhile, Velvet was on a high branch looking down at a small hord of Hellions roaming around, searching for something to hunt. Velvet's eyes are so focus with hunger that she didn't notice Jet standing on a higher branch.

"Why are you looking at hunting wolfs?" He whispered as he can't see what Velvet saw.

Suddenly, they heard a branch breaking and sees an old man walking into the area and prepared to fight before Velvet jumped down and landed in front them, her bangs covering her eyes as she got into Etherion form.

"You better move. Or else..." Velvet said as the old man ran to hide. "I'll devour you!" With a battle cry, Velvet attacks like a dangerous beast when she got the chance, Velvet eats them which frightened Jet. Velvet had just finished when the old man came out.

"I've never heard of someone eating Hellions without turning into one." The old man said.

"So you can see them?" Velvet asked.

"I'm a special case, one of a kind." The old man said.

"Me as well." Velvet said.

"My name is Mayvin, the Storyteller. What's your name?" The old man, Mayvin, asked.

"Velvet Crowe, the Deamoneater." Velvet introduced herself.

"What a lovely name for a lovely girl like you." Mayvin said, walking forwards her. "So why is it that you're in the Freedom Fighters area of the woods?"

"Got 'saved' by them from Fire Nation soldiers earlier today. There's something about their leader that I don't like." Velvet explained.

"You're right in not trusting them. I've been in this forest for some time now and got attack by them, thinking I was a spy from the Fire Nation." Mayvin said. "Jet attacks innocent people from the Fire Nation, who just walking around to think their spies. They may be free from malevolence but Hellions try their best to hunt them down."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Velvet asked.

"You'll see tomorrow, I've have a small friend watching over them and he wants to go on a mission with you and your friend, Sokka was it?" Mayvin said confused and Velvet nodded.

"Thanks for the warning, I'll keep an eye out." Velvet said before walking away.

The next day Jet, Velvet, and Sokka are perched in branches on the same tree and Jet cups his hands and makes a bird call several trees away from Pipsqueak and Smellerbee and they both reply and then Sokka jabs his knife into the trunk of the tree.

"What are you doing?" Jet asked.

"It amplifies vibrations." Sokka said.

"Good trick." Jet said.

"Not bad, idiot." Velvet said.

Sokka cups his hands around pommel bone and puts his ear to it.

"Well?" Velvet asked.

"Nothing yet. Wait. There's someone approaching." Sokka said.

"How many?" Jet asked.

"I think there's just one." Sokka answered and Jet whistles again.

"Good work, Sokka. Both of you ready yourselves." Jet said as Sokka takes his knife out of the tree while Velvet prepares herself.

They both wait for their target but then Velvet is shocked to see that it's just an old man with a walking cane and wearing a red robe walking and Velvet sees Jet ready to strike.

 _'It's just like Mayin said! He's going to attack some innocent old man!'_ Velvet exclaimed in her head.

"Wait! False alarm! It's just an old man!" Sokka said but Jet readies his hook swords and jumps down to confront the old man.

"What are you doing in our woods, you leech?" Jet asked.

"Please, sir. I'm just a traveler." The old man said but Jet swipes making the old man's cane fly away.

The old man backs away but as he was about to run he runs into Pipsqueak knocking him down and Pipsqueak towers over him and the old man tries to get away again but Pipsqueak stops him by setting his foot on the man's back.

"Do you like destroying towns?! Do you like destroying families?! Do you?!" Jet demanded.

"Please let me go. Have mercy." The old man begged.

"Does the Fire Nation let people go?! Does the Fire Nation have mercy?!" Jet demanded again as he was about to kick the old man but then Velvet was fast enough to kick him back.

"Jet, stop! He's just an old man!" Sokka said.

"He's Fire Nation! Search him!" Jet ordered as Pipsqueak and Smellerbee does what he said.

"He's not hurting anyone." Sokka said.

"Have you forgotten that the Fire Nation killed your mother?! Remember why you fight!" Jet said.

"We got his stuff, Jet!" Smellerbee said holding the old man's bag.

"This isn't the right way." Velvet said angry.

"It's just what has to be done. Let's get out of here." Jet said as he, Smellerbee, and Pipsqueak leave and Velvet stays to look at the old man who is now helpless. "Velvet, come on!"

"Don't worry, I'll find a way to help you." Velvet said going after them.

Back at the hideout, Velvet is sitting back to the trunk and staring at the platform thinking about what Jet did earlier today and Mayvin's words, then Aang and Laphicet arrive on the platform.

"Hey, sis. Look at what The Duke gave me." Laphicet said as he takes out a small pellet while making a sly grin and he tosses it at the platform next to Aang's feet and the pellet explodes with a pop.

"That's it! Pellet war!" Aang declared as he throws his own pellet at Laphicet's feet making him dance wildly and Laphicet throws his own pellets back at Aang's feet.

While Aang and Laphicet are having their pellet war Katara arrive to Velvet.

"Hey. Is Jet back?" Katara asked.

"Yeah. He's back...but we're leaving." Velvet said.

"What?" Aang and Laphicet asked at the same time.

"But I made him this hat." Katara said showing them a cap made of leaves and flowers.

"Yeah, I'm sure he'd LOVE it." Sokka said with sarcasm earning a glare from Katara as he came.

"Why do you wanna leave, Velvet?" Laphicet asked.

"Because Katara's new boyfriend's a thief and a thug." Velvet said.

"What? No he's not." Katara said.

"Yes he is. He's messed up, Katara." Sokka said.

"He's not messed up. He just has a different way of life." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. A fun way of life." Aang said.

"There's nothing 'fun' about him! He beat and robbed a harmless old man!" Velvet said angry.

"I want to hear Jet's side of the story." Katara said.

They arrive at Jet's room where Jet is sitting on his hammock bed and Katara tells Jet that Velvet told them about what happened earlier today.

"Velvet, you told them what happened, but you didn't mention that guy was Fire Nation?" Jet asked.

"No. She left that part out." Katara said looking at Velvet crossly.

"Fine, but even if he was Fire Nation, he's still a harmless civilian." Velvet said.

"Not to mention an old man." Sokka added.

"He was an assassin." Jet said as he takes out a curve bladed knife and struck it into a block of wood. "There's a compartment for poison in the knife." He lifts the knife's ring and shows a small glass tube that shows red liquid. "He was sent to assassinate me, but you saved my life, Velvet."

"I knew there was an explanation." Katara said.

"I didn't see any knife and neither did Sokka because he was with me!" Velvet said.

"That's because he was concealing it." Jet said.

"See, sis? I'm sure you just didn't see the knife." Laphicet said.

"There was no knife!" Velvet shouted angry. "Mayvin was right about you, you aren't someone to be trusted. I'm going back to the hut to pack my things!" Velvet walked away.

"Hey! Don't leave without me too." Sokka said following her.

"You guys aren't leaving yet, are you? I really need your help." Jet said.

"What do you want us to do?" Laphicet asked.

"The Fire Nation is planning to burn down our forest. Aang, Katara, if you guys can use Waterbending to fill the reservoir, we can fight the fires, but if you guys leave now, then the whole valley will be destroyed." Jet said.

Velvet and Sokka are in their hut, Velvet and Sokka are packing their stuff but then the others enter.

"We can't leave yet. The Fire Nation are going to destroy the forest." Laphicet said.

"Sorry, Laphi, but I'm not trusting that deranged thug." Velvet said.

"Neither am I." Sokka said.

"If what Mayvin said about Jet is true, then I'll believe his words over Jet's." Velvet said.

"You know what I think? I think you're all jealous that Jet's a better warrior and a better leader!" Katara said.

"What? Me? Jealous of that weasel? No way." Sokka said.

"Why would I ever be jealous of that smooth-talking, spineless, heartless creep like Jet? It's quite obvious that you're blinded by his charm." Velvet said.

"Oh, so you're jealous that I like him?!" Katara asked.

"WHAT?! I didn't even like him since I even met him. He's no Prince Charming. He's just a manipulative jerk!" Velvet yelled.

"Jet is not a jerk!" Katara yelled back.

"That's enough, Katara! As the leader of this group, we are leaving this place by tomorrow and that's final!" Sokka said.

"Well, right now, I don't even CARE what you say, Sokka!" Katara snapped.

"This is exactly what happened to me, Katara! I was blinded by Arthur's kindness and his love for Serika, and before I knew it, he kills my brother right before my eyes and tells me it was to free the world! And do you know what, he didn't care about the Malakim or the people that was once Deamons!" Velvet yelled angry. "WE ARE LEAVING!"

"You know what? Fine! You three can leave for all I care! WE'RE staying here a little longer and help Jet!" Katara snapped as she leaves the hut.

"Sorry, guys..." Aang said sadly.

"We hope you understand." Laphicet said as they followed Katara.

Velvet breathes heavily and tries controlling her anger as Sokka places a hand on her shoulder.

It's now nighttime and the gang are asleep except for Velvet, who can't sleep because of her argument with Katara earlier and while she's tossing and turning she hears something and she opens the door flap to see Jet and his followers going down with their ropes and so she decides to wake Sokka up. The two leave the hut and go down the rope line to follow Jet and his gang through the forest out of Jet's camp while pulling a fully loaded wagon. Jet and his gang emerge from the forest and Jet walks over to the edge of a cliff and he looks down at a dam that's close to a walled town and Jet turns to his followers.

"Now listen, you are not to blow up the dam until I give the signal. If the reservoir isn't full, the Fire Nation won't survive." Jet said.

"But what about the people in that town? Won't they get wiped out too?" The Duke asked.

"Look, Duke, that's the price of ridding this area of the Fire Nation." Jet said and he turns to Longshot. Now don't blow the dam until I give the signal. Got it?" Jet asked and Longshot nods.

Unknowing to them Velvet and Sokka watch them from the bushes.

"I knew there was something off about that guy." Velvet whispered. "All that Mayvin said was true."

"Yeah. You're right, Velvet." Sokka said.

"We must warn the others before..." Velvet was cut off but rustling in the bushes and something grabs Sokka by his ponyail and another hand grabs Velvet by her braid.

It's revealed that Pipsqueak has held the two captive while Smellerbee points her knife at Velvet.

"Where do you two think you're going?" Smellerbee asked.

"You jerks! You're not getting away with this!" Velvet said.

"Shut it, Black hair!" Smellerbee said.

Pipsqueak drags Velvet and Sokka to Jet who is still standing at the edge of the cliff and Pipsqueak sends the two to their knees and Jet smiles.

"Velvet, Sokka. So glad you two can join us." Jet said.

"We heard your plot to destroy the Earth Kingdom town." Velvet said.

"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation." Jet said.

"There are people living there, Jet. Mothers, fathers, and children." Sokka said.

"We can't win without making some sacrifices." Jet said.

"You lied to the others about the forest fire!" Velvet said.

"Because they don't understand the demands of war. Not like you two and I do." Jet said.

"I understand alright. I understand that there's nothing you won't do to get what you want." Velvet said.

"I was hoping you three would have an opened mind, but I can see you all mind your choice." Jet said as Pipsqueak and Smellerbee grab the two before even Velvet could react. "I can't let any of you warn your friends. Take them for a walk. A long walk."

"You can't do this!" Sokka said.

"We won't let you get away, you monster!" Velvet said.

"Cheer up. We're gonna win a very great victory against the Fire Nation today." Jet said.

Later on Jet, Aang, Katara and Laphicet are walking upriver along its west bank.

"Jet, I'm sorry how Velvet and my brother were acting." Katara said.

"No worries. They already apologized." Jet said.

"Really? Sokka apologized?" Aang asked.

"Velvet too?" Laphicet asked confused. "It isn't like her."

"Yeah. I was surprised too. I got the sense that maybe Katara talked to them or something." Jet said.

"Yeah. I did." Katara said.

"I guess something you said must have got through to them. They're on a scouting mission with Pipsqueak, and Smellerbee." Jet said.

"Well, I'm glad they both cooled off." Katara said.

"Yeah. Velvet can be just as stubborn as Sokka sometimes." Laphicet said.

They are now walking in a gully beside the river and Aang stops for minute and notice something strange and he gets launched into the air by a blast from the geyser he was standing on.

"We're here. Underground water's trying to escape through these vents. Aang, Katara, I want you two to help it along." Jet said.

"I've never used bending on water I can't see. I don't know." Katara said unsure.

"Katara, you can do this." Jet assured her.

"What about me?" Aang asked.

"I know the Avatar can do it." Jet said.

Aang and Katara stand on either side of one of the smoking holes in the gully and the two preform Waterbending stances and they look like they're encouraging something up, few minutes later a stream of water rises from the hole and the two pull it to their height and send it toward the river where it continues to flow and the water quickly joins the river.

"They did it!" Laphicet said.

"Good job, you two. This river empties into the reservoir. Just a few more geysers and it'll be full." Jet said.

"There another stream vent." Aang said as the two walk toward it.

"You two keep it up. I'm going to see how things are going at the reservoir." Jet said as he walks away.

"When they're done, we'll meet up." Laphicet said making Jet stop.

"Actually, you guys should meet me back at the hideout when you're done." Jet said as he leaves.

Aang and Katara work on the next geyser into another fountain and later on they worked on a half dozen making them into fountains flowing into the river.

"I think that's enough. I'm not just saying that to be lazy." Aang said.

"I think that's good enough. Not bad, you two." Laphicet said.

"Let's meet with Jet at the reservoir." Katara said.

"I thought Jet said to meet him back at the hideout." Laphicet said.

"Well, we finished early. I'm sure he'll be happy to see us." Katara said.

Meanwhile in a different part of the forest, Pipsqueak and Smellerbee keep moving Velvet and Sokka and their hands are all tied up.

"Can't you free yourself?" Sokka asked.

"I could, but Jet managed to tied my hands good." Velvet said. "I can't take out my blade."

"Wow, Jet's smart." Sokka said.

"You're still an idiot." Velvet said.

"Come on! Keep moving!" Smellerbee said shoving the two.

"How can you two just stand by and watch while Jet destroys a town?" Velvet asked.

"Hey listen, Velvet, Jet's a great leader. We follow what he says and things always turn out okay." Pipsqueak said.

Velvet then sees two snare leaf pile traps nearby and she gets an idea.

"Well, if this is how Jet leads, then he's got a lot to learn." Velvet said as she runs toward the leaf piles.

"Hey!" Smellerbee called as she and Pipsqueak go after her.

Velvet runs toward the leaf piles and she leaps over them but Pipsqueak and Smellerbee don't and they get trapped in the snare trap and they get hung in the air.

"Good trick, Velvet." Sokka said his hands now free.

"Why are you already free?!" Velvet asked.

"What? Jet didn't tie my hands good enough." Sokka said as he unties Velvet, who smacks him across his face.

"You could've freed us earlier, you moron!" Velvet yelled.

"I had to make look convincing." Sokka said as he looks up at Pipsqueak and Smellerbee. "While you guys are up there, you might want to tell Jet to work on his knot work."

"Time for that later, we need to hurry." Velvet said and Sokka nodded before they run away.

"Hey, Smellerbee, you gonna eat your leechee nuts?" Pipsqueak asked and Smellerbee throws her nuts at Pipsqueak who starts eating happily.

Aang, Katara and Laphicet arrived at the edge of the cliff and they see four of Jet's followers unloading barrels from the wagon and arrange them near the dam.

"What're they doing?" Laphicet asked.

"Those look like those red barrels Jet got from the Fire Nation." Katara said.

"Why would they need blasting jelly?" Laphicet asked and Aang realizes something.

"Because they're gonna destroy the dam." Aang said shocking the others.

"But that would destroy the town." Katara said.

"Jet would never do that." Katara said.

"Looks like he will." Laphicet said and Aang opens his glider.

"I'm going to stop him." Aang said.

"Jet wouldn't do that." Katara said.

As Aang reach the edge Jet crosses their path from behind and snatches Aang's glider making Aang wobble near the edge but Aang uses his Airbending to save himself.

"Yes I would." Jet said.

"Jet, why?" Katara asked.

"Katara, you would too if you'd just stop to think. Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother. We can't let them do that to anyone else ever again." Jet said.

"This still isn't the right answer!" Katara said.

"I just wanted you to understand me, Katara. I thought Sokka or even Velvet would understand, but..." Jet stops talking.

"What?" Katara asked shocked.

"What have you done to Velvet?!" Laphicet demanded.

"Where is she?" Aang asked as tears fall from Katara's face.

"Katara..." Jet walks over to Katara but she turns away.

"I need to get to that dam." Aang said as he goes for his glider but Jet already grabs it with his hook swords.

"You're not going anywhere without your glider." Jet said.

Jet swings the swords, still hook to hook, at Aang. Aang summersaults backwards to avoid the extra reach. Aang finishes his retreat in a nearby tree.

"I'm not gonna fight you, Jet." Aang said.

"You'll have to if you want you glider back." Jet said as he goes for Aang.

Aang retreats back into the forest, as Jet hooks the branch and pulls himself up. Katara and Laphicet follow on the ground. Jet attacks; Aang defends himself with balls of air, which Jet ducks. Jet attacks head on, but Aang blocks with his arms and sends his opponent flying into a tree trunk with an air kick. Jet combines his swords again and advances. Aang avoids the flail-like move and sends another air blast. Jet stoops down and lets the air flow over and past him, then lunges.

They continue the chase through the many levels of the forest. Jet catches up to Aang and sends them both freefalling, attacking as they go. They both end up on a branch. Jet continues his attack. Aang avoids it all. Jet charges again, but Aang hits him with a jetstream of air. Jet falls. He recovers, but looses the glider in the process. Before Aang can get to the ground Jet kicks him into a trunk. He lands with a thud next to his glider.  
A small tributary flows past him. Aang is slow to get up. Before Jet can take more than a step however, he his hit by a fire ball. It's was Laphicet, who continues till he goes to a tree and Katara took the chance to freeze him onto it with Waterbending.

"Why, Jet? I can't believe I trusted you. You lied to me! You're sick and I trusted you!" Katara said.

A signal call is heard. Katara, Laphicet and Aang are startled then look to the valley beyond, where it's coming from and Jet gives an answer call.

"What are you doing?" Laphicet asked.

"You're too late." Jet said.

"No!" Katara said.

"I've gotta hurry!" Aang said as he opens his glider and runs to the cliff but as he was about to fly he falls to the ground due to the glider being damaged and Katara and Laphicet run up to help him.

"Velvet and Sokka are still out there." Laphicet said.

"They're our only chance now." Katara said.

"Come on, sis. You've gotta hurry." Laphicet said.

"Please, Velvet, Sokka. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Please." Katara said.

They see Longshot standing on a branch of a tree and he prepares a fire arrow and then he shoots the fire arrow and it's going at the base of the dam.

"No..." Katara and Laphicet said at the same time.

The center of the dam explodes in a cloud of smoke and fire and everyone sees a massive wall of water going over to the town which is empty and the water rushes trough the open gate and a huge wave engulfs the wall and the gate and the entire town is destroyed by the large wave of water.

"They didn't make it in time." Aang said.

"All those people..." Laphicet said as he starts to cry.

"Jet, you monster!" Katara yelled.

"This was a victory. Remember that. The Fire Nation is gone and this valley will be safe." Jet said.

"It will be safe...without YOU!" A voice said shocking Jet and everyone turns to see Appa flying up and on his head is Sokka holding his reins and Velvet standing in the saddle.

"Velvet!" Laphicet cheered.

"You're okay!" Katara said.

"What did you guys expect?" Sokka asked and then turns to Jet. "We warned the villagers of your plan, Jet. Just in time."

"You WHAT?!" Jet asked shocked.

"At first they didn't believe me. The Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy, but then one man vouched for me...the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust me and we got everyone out just in time before the flood." Velvet explained.

The villagers are on high ground above the river and a little girl runs down at the water's edge and sees a doll floating by and she picks it up.

"Missus Pretty!" The little girl cheered hugging her doll.

"Velvet, you fool! We could've freed this valley!" Jet said.

"Who would be free? Everyone would be dead." Velvet said.

"You traitors!" Jet barked.

"No, Jet. YOU became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people." Sokka replied.

"Katara, please. Help me." Jet begged.

"Goodbye, Jet." Katara said as everyone gets on Appa.

"Yip yip." Sokka said and Appa starts flying leaving Jet, who is still frozen against the tree.

Appa is flying through the sky again with Sokka driving the bison while everyone else is on the saddle.

"I thought you two were going to the dam." Aang said. "How come you two went to the town instead?"

"Lemme guess, Sokka's instincts told you." Katara guessed and Velvet nodded.

"Yep, and it was a good one too." Velvet said crossing her arms.

"Hey, sometimes they're right." Sokka proclaimed.

"Um, Sokka, You know we're going the wrong way, right?" Laphicet said.

"And sometimes they're wrong." Sokka said turning around and everyone laughed.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Sokka:** You know, Velvet's a good leader.

 **Laphicet:** I know, she was kind of the leader in her group.

 **Sokka:** I've only have heard small part about yourselves, but it's more like Velvet's history than both. Why's that?

 **Laphicet:** That's because after I was sacrificed I can't remember anything before I got to the enemy's side, trying to get Velvet all to myself.

 **Sokka:** So you two fight together as enemies before your sleep?

 **Laphicet:** Yeah, I tried all means necessary to have her all to myself but there's this Malak who helped Velvet stand against me and her despair.

 **Sokka:** Wow, what's his name?

 **Laphicet:** The same as mine, Velvet gave him my name. I'm actually proud of it, even deep down I'm a little mad.

 **Sokka:** Next: The Great Divide.


	11. Chapter 11

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 11**

 **The Great Divide**

The sun is setting in the mostly cloudy sky and behind the setting sun is a patched up tent being jostled around from the inside and inside the tent is Sokka grunting and fussing as he tries to finish setting up the tent until the tent is finally raised and Sokka comes out of the tent.

"There. All finished." Sokka said as Katara walks over to him while carrying a pile of wood.

"Uh, Sokka, what about the tarp?" Katara asked.

"Oh, right." Sokka said as he picks up the rolled up tarp next to the tent and he throws it into the tent.

"Sokka, you're supposed to put the tarp on TOP of the tent. You know, so we don't get RAINED on?" Katara said a little irritated.

"Normally, you'd be right, but seeing how it's dry season, you're wrong." Sokka replied. "Also, the tarp makes a pretty good warm blanket."

"But what if it DOES rain?" Katara asked.

"What if it doesn't? I would have put the tarp up for nothing." Sokka said and Katara is getting ticked off.

"UGH! You're infuriating!" Katara yelled.

"Katara, look, why don't you worry about gathering the firewood because that kindling's looking PRETTY sorry." Sokka said making Katara even more angry.

"You just have to tick her off, do you?" Laphicet asked.

"No. It's fine, Laphicet. If Sokka doesn't like my firewood, he can have it!" Katara yelled throwing the firewood at Sokka who blocks them with his hands and he gets angry.

"Fine by me! If you won't do your job, then I'll do this!" Sokka said as he yanks the rope securing the tent to one of its supports and the tent falls. "There!"

"Oh, brother." Laphicet said shaking his head.

Velvet and Aang then arrive at the campsite while carrying food.

"Okay, guys, we got the grub if you..." Velvet cuts herself off as she sees Katara and Sokka turning from each other angry and then the four see the tent down. "Where's the campfire?"

"Yeah and what happened to the tent?" Aang asked.

"Ask Miss Know-It-All the Queen of the Twigs!" Sokka snapped.

"Oh, yeah? You're Mister Lazy Bum the King of the Tents!" Katara yelled throwing a twig at Sokka's head and now the two face each other but Velvet gets between them.

"Enough! Both of you! We're not going anywhere if you two continue to fight like this." Velvet said.

"She's right. Harsh words won't solve problems, but action will." Aang said. "Here's an idea, why don't you two just switch jobs?"

"Sounds good." Katara said.

"Whatever." Sokka said and the two begin their new work.

"Settling feuds and making peace. All in a days work for the Avatar." Aang said.

"It must be a tough job." Laphicet said.

"Even for the Avatar." Velvet said.

Aang then see Momo trying to remove a melon that Appa is holding with the digits of his front paw, Momo are still struggling and try to fly away but still can't get the melon and walked away depressed.

Appa opens his mouth and his tongue scoops up the melon but as he's about to open his mouth, Momo quickly grab the melon and he scurry away. While Momo is carrying the melon but run into Aang who takes the melon and he tosses it in the air and air slices small pieces of it off and the big part land in front of Appa who eats it while a small piece land in front of Momo.

"Come on. That's fair. Appa has FIVE stomachs." Aang said.

It's now daytime and the gang arrive at a rim overlooking a canyon area.

"Here it is, guys. The Great Divide." Aang said.

"Wow. I could just stare at it forever." Laphicet said.

"Me too." Katara said.

"Okay. I've seen enough." Sokka said but Velvet hits his head.

"How can you not be fascinated?" Velvet asked.

"Yeah. This is the largest canyon in the world." Katara said.

"Hey, I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away." Sokka said but then a man wearing white robes rushes past Sokka and pushes him out of the way. "Watch where you're going!"

"Quiet! If you people are looking for the Canyon Guide, I was here first!" The white robed man said.

"Canyon guide, huh? Sounds very informative." Katara said.

"Oh, believe me, he's more than just a tour guide. He's also an Earthbender and the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help. He's taking MY tribe across next!" The white robed man said and while he was talking Sokka make a mocking gesture from behind.

"You can settle down. We know you're next." Velvet said but the white robed man points his finger at her.

"You wouldn't be calm if the Fire Nation destroyed YOUR home and forced YOU to flee. " The white robed man said. "My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se!"

"You must be a refugee." Katara said.

"That's right." The white robed man said.

The gang then hear someone coming they turn to see more people and they are wearing rude animal skin and they look unkempt.

"Who're they? Friends of yours?" Velvet asked.

"Don't count on that. That's the Zhang tribe. A bunch of low-life thieves. They've been enemies of my tribe for a hundred years." The white robed man explained. "Hey, Zhangs, I'm saving this spot so don't even THINK about stealing it!" A huge Zhang woman walks over to the white robed man.

"Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tiding up their campsite?" The Zhang woman asked.

"Yes, but they sent me ahead to hold a spot." The white robed man answered.

"I didn't know the Canyon Guide took reservations." The Zhang woman said.

"Of course you didn't. That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang! Unorganized and ill prepared for a journey." The white robed man said.

The Zhang tribe then start grumbling angrily and a mob of Zhangs is about to commence making the gang look disconcerted but then all the sudden the earth starts to move making rocks shake and split apart and then the rocks are being lifted in the air and are thrown away by an old man wearing green clothing and a straw hat and it's the Canyon Guide.

"Sorry for the wait, youngsters. Who's ready to cross this here canyon?" The Canyon Guide asked.

"Um...I think one of them." Laphicet said, pointing at the man and the Zhangs.

"I was here first! My party's on their way!" The whited robed man said.

"I can't guide people who are not here." The Canyon Guide said.

"Guess you'll be making the trip tomorrow." The Zhang woman said and she and the other Zhangs start to move.

Just then the whited robed man and the gang see more people coming and the white robed man knows the people.

"Wait! Here they come!" The white robed man said pointing at the people.

The people coming are the Gan Jin tribe and they are wearing the same white robes as the man and they are walking in a stately order while having formal expressions and the Zhang woman looks in surprise and now the two tribes are facing each other.

"You're not seriously going to cave into those spoiled Gan Jins! We're refugees too! We have sick people who need shelter!" The Zhang woman said.

"Well...I..." The Canyon Guide stops for a minute.

"We've got old people who are weary of traveling." The Gan Jin man said.

"Sick people get priority over old people!" The Zhang woman said.

"Perhaps you Zhangs wouldn't be sick if you weren't such slobs." The older Gan Jin man said.

"Well, if you Gan Jins weren't so clean, maybe you wouldn't be so old!" The Zhang woman replied.

"I can smell your stink away." The older Gan Jin man said.

"Well, Aang, ready to put your peace making skills to the test?" Velvet asked.

"I don't know. A fight over chores is one thing, but these people have been feuding over a hundred years." Aang said.

"Everyone listen up! This is the Avatar! If you give him a chance, he can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy!" Laphicet said and everyone looks at Aang.

"Uh...you guys can share the Canyon Guide and travel together?" Aang suggested.

"Absolutely not! We'd rather be taken by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves!" The older Gan Jin man said.

"We wouldn't travel with you pompous fools anyway!" The Zhang woman replied.

"We are not pompous!" The older Gan Jin man said and the two tribes fight and yell at each other until Velvet finally had enough of this.

"ENOUGH!" Velvet shouted causing everyone to look at her shocked. "Here's the deal, we're all going down the canyon TOGETHER and Appa will fly your sick people and old people across! Does that seem fair?!" The Gan Jin leader and the Zhang leader nod in agreement making Velvet calm down.

The old Gan Jins and the sick Zhangs are now on Appa's saddle and they both give each other dirty looks as they sit far away from each other as possible and Aang pets the bison as he groans.

"Sorry, buddy. You'll have to do this on your own." Aang and Appa grunts in response.

"This tribe feuding stuff must be serious business." Sokka said.

"You sure it's a good idea getting involved in this?" Velvet asked.

"To tell the truth, I'm not sure." Aang said.

"Aang is the Avatar. Making peace with people should be his job." Katara said and Velvet sighed.

"It's not easy as you think." She mumbled.

"Their job's gonna make us cross this whole thing on foot, isn't it?" Sokka asked in despair.

"Man up, Mister Lazy Bum. Who was the one that made us go through the forest on foot last time because of his instincts?" Velvet asked.

"Me." Sokka answered.

"That's right, so shut your hole or I'll shut it for you." Velvet said.

"Okay, folks. Here are the bad news, no food allowed in the canyon. It attracts dangerous predators." The Canyon Guide said and the two tribes complain about this. "Oh, you babies can go a day without food. Would you rather be hungry or dead? We'll be going in ten minutes so all food better be in your gut or in the garbage!" The Zhangs start eating their food like slobs while the Gan Jins eat little bits of food with chopsticks and wipe their mouths with their napkins.

"Appa will take care of you guys until we get there." Laphicet said to the old Gan Jins and the sick Zhangs.

"We'll see you on the other side, boy. Yip yip!" Aang said and Appa grunts and flies off.

Everyone starts to move down the steep canyon path with the Canyon Guide, Velvet, and Aang taking the lead and as they keep walking down the path the Canyon Guide puts his arm in front of Velvet and Aang making them stop and they see a break in the path in front of them and the drop is a hundred feet down but the Canyon Guide makes a motion and outstretches his arms and fists and with a grunt of effort a block of stone pushes outward from the canyon wall to where the broken path is making a new path and everyone moves forward again.

"Nice bending." Velvet said.

"The job's much more than bending. Folks want information." The Canyon Guide said and he turns to everyone. "Many of you probably wonder how canyons are formed. Experts tell us this canyon was most likely carved into the ground by Earth Spirits who were angry at local farmers for not offering them a proper sacrifice." The Canyon Guide explained making Katara, Laphicet and Sokka look at each other with worry and then everyone hears a rumbling sound and they see a rock slide from above and the rocks come down but the Canyon Guide bends them away into the canyon below. "Looks like the spirits are still angry. Hope you all brought sacrifices."

Everyone keeps moving down the canyon path and they enter the canyon floor and the Canyon Guide stands in front of the two tribes and the gang.

"Everyone stand clear of the walls." The Canyon Guide said as he bends a nearby rock and throws it at the stone bridge he created earlier and destroys it and the debris from the bridge lands behind everyone and a cloud of dust is made.

"Why'd you do that?" Velvet asked.

"These people are fleeing from the Fire Nation right? I gotta make sure we're not followed. We'll be safe now." The Canyon Guide said but just then a big insect like shadow appears in the dust cloud and pincers appears from the dust cloud to grab the Canyon Guide from behind making him yelp.

"What the...?!" Sokka asked and Aang Airbends the dust cloud away showing a big black insect like creature with four legs, red eyes, and a long thin mouth with teeth and the Canyon Guide is still in the insect creature's mouth while screaming.

"We gotta help him!" Laphicet said.

"Right!" Sokka said as he throws his boomerang at the insect creature and it strikes the creature in the head making it drop the Canyon Guide but the insect creature goes for Sokka now and he runs for his life. "Okay, now you gotta help me!"

The insect creature still chases after Sokka but Velvet slashes its two front legs with her blade, making it fall to the ground and she delivers the final blow by cutting its head off but then another insect creature appears and tries to bite at Velvet but she slashed with her foot blades while Katara bends water from her pouch and uses it to smack at the insect creature but the insect creature tries to bite at Katara but Aang shoot air at the insect creature throwing it far up the cliff and since it can't walk on walls the insect creature hides in one of the canyon holes.

"Is everyone okay?" Laphicet asked and everyone nods.

"What were those things?" Aang asked.

"Canyon crawlers and there are probably more of them. UGH!" The Canyon Guide winces in pain and Laphicet tries to use his healing Artes.

"Your arms are broken." Laphicet said.

"Without my arms, I won't be able to Earthbend." The Canyon Guide said.

"So that means..." Katara stops talking.

"...We're trapped in this canyon." Velvet said.

It's now getting late and everyone is still stuck on the canyon floor, Katara and Laphicet place bandages on the Canyon Guide's arms.

"I thought the whole point of ditching our food was so that we wouldn't have to deal with those...canyon crawler things." Sokka said.

"It's the Zhangs! They took food down here even after the Canyon Guide told them not to!" The Gan Jin leader said pointing his finger at the Zhangs.

"What?! If anyone can't go a day without food, it'd you pampered Gan Jins!" The Zhang leader said pointing her finger at the Gan Jins.

"I hope you're happy. We're now stuck in this canyon with no way out!" The Gan Jin said.

"Thank yourself, food hider!" The Zhang leader replied.

"Guys, sticking together is the only way..." Aang was cut off by the Zhang leader.

"I'm not walking another step with the likes of them!" The Zhang leader said.

"Now THAT'S something we can agree on." The Gan Jin leader said.

"Any ideas?" Sokka asked.

"No bending. We have to get out of this canyon! I won't die here! I won't become part of the food chain!" The Canyon Guide said.

"See? We're going to become part of the food chain because of YOU!" The Gan Jin leader said.

"Sure! Unjustly blame the Zhangs like you ALWAYS do!" The Zhang leader replied.

"Gladly!" The Gan Jin leader said.

"ENOUGH!" Aang shouted and everyone turns to him shocked again. "I THOUGHT WE COULD HELP YOU GUYS GET ALONG, BUT I CAN SEE I WAS WRONG!" He Airbends himself to a stone balk between two canyons on either side. "We're splitting up. Gan Jins on this side and the Zhangs on that side. We're travelling in two separate lines." The Gan Jin leader and Zhang leader looks at each other and nod and the Gan Jins go to the right side while Zhangs go to the left side.

"This is stressful, huh?" Laphicet asked.

"You have no idea." Aang said.

"What now?" Katara asked.

"Sokka, you are going with the Zhangs. Katara and Laphi, you're with the Gan Jins. See if you guys can figure out why they hate each other so much." Velvet said.

"Sure thing, sis." Laphicet said.

Sokka follows the Zhangs while Katara and Laphicet follow the Gan Jins.

"I hope we can settle this feud." Aang said.

"I doubt that." Velvet said. "Another important thing should be getting out of this canyon."

The sun is setting and Sokka is in the Zhangs' campsite and they see the Zhangs setting up their tents.

"Aren't you guys gonna put up your tarps?" Sokka asked.

"What for? It's dry season." The Zhang leader said.

"Exactly." Sokka said.

"Besides, we like to use our tarp as a blanket." The Zhang leader said.

"Finally someone gets it." Sokka said.

Meanwhile Katara and Laphicet are in the Gan Jins' campsite and they see the Gan Jins setting up their tents perfectly and the three also see the Gan Jins putting up their tarps over their tents.

"You think it will rain?" Katara asked.

"No, but you never can be too careful." The Gan Jin leader said and Katara smiles.

"I hope nothing else will go wrong." Laphicet said to himself.

It's now nighttime and the Gan Jins, Katara and Laphicet sit around the campfire and the Gan Jin leader looks around and takes out bread from his robe surprising Katara and Laphicet and they see the other Gan Jins eating their food with their chopsticks.

"Would you two like some bread?" The Gan Jin leader offered.

"So it was you guys who had food!" Laphicet said.

"Oh, come now. You really think that tribe of thieves isn't smuggling food? Why should MY people go hungry when those sneaky Zhangs are stuffing their faces?" The Gan Jin leader asked.

"I guess it's okay if everybody's doing it." Katara said as she takes the bread and takes a few bites.

"Katara!" Laphicet said. "So can you tell me. Why does your tribe hate the Zhangs so much?"

"You seem like a smart boy, Laphicet. I bet you would enjoy hearing some history." The Gan Jin leader said. "The patriarch of our tribe, Jin Wei was an Earthbender warrior who was assigned to an important duty, transporting our sacred orb from the Great Eastern Gate to the Great Western Gate. Taking the orb from the east to the west represents the sun rising and setting. It was our tribe's ancient redemption ritual...but as he approached the gate, Jin Wei was attacked by one of the Zhang. A vermin by the name of Wei Jin who looked at the orb with envy. The coward Wei Jin knocked Jin Wei to the ground and stole our sacred orb. Our tribe have never forgotten. You can never trust a Zhang." Katara and Laphicet look at the Zhang camp with hardness and hate.

Meanwhile at the Zhang campsite the Zhang leader is sitting next the Zhangs' campfire and Sokka is sitting next to her and the Zhang leader takes out a leg of meat from her bag.

"Care for some meat?" The Zhang leader offered.

"Would I?" Sokka said as he takes the meat and starts eating. "So you really did have food with you."

"I know. We're horrible for endangering everybody by bringing food down here." The Zhang leader said as Sokka is still eating his meat.

"Why did you do that?" Sokka asked.

"The Gan Jins think so badly of us, they assumed that we brought food in and decided to bring food in themselves. That's why we brought food in." The Zhang leader answered.

"I have a question. When did your hatred for the Gan Jins began?" Sokka asked as he eats another piece of meat.

"Our conflict with the Gan Jins goes way back over a hundred years." The Zhang leader said. "Our forefather, Wei Jin was leaving the west gate of our village, but then he saw a figure in the distance. It was a man of the Gan Jin tribe, Jin Wei who is collapsed on the ground. Noble Wei Jin stopped to help him, but Jin Wei tells him that he was transporting a sacred orb, a very powerful relic used in his tribe's redemption ritual. Wei Jin tried to tend to the man's wounds, but Jin Wei insisted the orb was more important and asked Wei Jin to take it back to his tribe. Kind Wei Jin promised to send help for the man as soon as he could, but as Wei Jin crossed the border to return the orb into Gan Jin territory, he was arrested. Instead of thanking him for his kind and selfless deed, they sentenced Wei Jin to twenty long years in Zhangs will never forget that injustice."

"Hey, you gonna finish that?" Sokka asked, pointing at the Zhang leader's leg of meat but she eats it.

Meanwhile, Aang and Velvet are looking down at the two campsites.

"Sure would be nice to be around one of the campfires, telling stories and laughing." Aang said.

"Hopefully we'll get out of here." Velvet said.

"Must be lonely, isn't it? Being impartial." The Canyon Guide said joining the two.

"I wish we could help these people get along, it's almost impossible." Aang said.

"I wish that too, but our bigger problem is getting out of this canyon." Velvet said.

"I'm not so sure the two problems are unrelated." The Canyon Guide said as he falls asleep.

"This is just ridiculous." Velvet said. "We should get some sleep. We'll find a way out."

The next day the Canyon Guide, Velvet, and Aang are on top of the stone balk and they see the two tribes moving through their sides.

"All clear! We're almost to the other side." The Canyon Guide said pointing to somewhere below and the two tribes are now in site of each other as their walk through their sides is at an end, Velvet and Aang find the others behind the two tribes.

"Guys, will these people cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon?" Velvet asked.

"I don't think so. The Zhangs have really wronged the Gan Jins. They ambushed Jin Wei and stole the sacred orb." Katara said.

"What are you talking about?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, what are you talking about, Katara?" Sokka asked. "Wei Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to the Gan Jins' village and he was wrongly punished."

"Not punished enough if you ask me!" Katara said.

"Okay! Okay! We get it! Now we need your help. We need to get everyone together at the base of the canyon wall." Aang said.

Aang opens his glider and and flies off and Velvet hangs onto him, the two land between the two tribes who are facing each other and are arguing again.

"Everyone, as soon as we get out of here, we can eat and go on our separate ways, but we need you all to put your heads together and figure out a way up this cliff." Aang said.

"Maybe the Zhangs can climb up the walls with their long, disgusting fingernails." The Gan Jin leader said.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't realize that to the Gan Jin, unclipped fingernails is a crime punishable by twenty years in jail!" The Zhang leader said.

"You dirty thieves!" The Gan Jin leader said.

"You pompous fools!" the Zhang leader replied and the two tribes argue again and this time Katara and Laphicet side with the Gan Jins while Sokka side with the Zhangs.

"Will all of you FOCUS here?!" Velvet asked.

"It's just as I've said, harsh words won't solve problems, ACTION will!" Aang said.

"Perhaps the Avatar is right." The Zhang leader said.

"Yes. Perhaps he is." The Gan Jin leader said and Aang smile hopefully.

"Harsh words will never solve problems..." The Zhang leader said.

"...Action will!" The Gan Jin leader said and they both draw their swords at each other and cross in front of Aang and Velvet, who both back off.

The two tribe leaders face each other while the two tribes watch this ready for the fight.

"To the death! Let this be the end of our rivalry!" The Gan Jin leader said.

"Wait! I take it back! Harsh words aren't so bad!" Aang said but he is ignored and the two leaders begin to fight.

The two leaders deliver several feints and thrusts at each other until they push each other back and the Gan Jin leader's lower beard falls off while one of the Zhang leader's hair braid falls off and they rush at each other again but then Aang slams his palm to the ground creating two gusts of wind and blows the two leaders away from each other, Velvet is breathing heavily with a severe ticked off look on her face but then she looks at the Gan Jins and she's utterly shocked as she sees a wrapped blanket of food has opened and spilled contents are all over.

"Is that...FOOD? EVERYONE SMUGGLED FOOD DOWN HERE?!" Velvet asked now even more angrier and flames appear in her eyes and a purple aura surrounded her, making Sokka huddle in fear while Aang backs off. "UNBELIEVABLE! YOU GUYS PUT OUR LIVES IN DANGER BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T GO WITHOUT A SNACK FOR A DAY?! YOU'RE ALL AWFUL!"

"Velvet, please just..." Aang cuts himself off as he sees something the Zhangs have on the ground and it's what looks like a pie and Aang's eyes are now wide and his stomach is growling. "So hungry...is that egg custard in that tart?"

"IDIOT! WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR..." Velvet was cut off by a noise and she turns to see many canyon crawlers on the cliff wall as they are attracted by the scent of food and they are now upon everyone and the tribes flee.

"That's a lot of canyon crawlers." Katara said.

"We barley survived one." Laphicet said as he takes out paper sheets, ready to fight.

"They're coming back for me! They've had a taste and they're coming back for me!" The Canyon Guide said as he backs off.

"Guys, I don't care about the feud. I want all of us to get out of here safely." Sokka said.

"he's right." Katara said.

"Yeah." Laphicet said.

"I wanna get outta of here too. I only took the Zhangs' side because they fed me." Sokka said.

"You're pathetic." Katara said and they prepare to attack the canyon crawlers.

The canyon crawlers are charging but Aang bend a gale of wind at the wall of canyon crawlers but has no effect and they charge and butt heads but Aang and Velvet jump into the air before they could reach the two. Aang blast the canyon crawlers away stunning them but they recover and charge again and other canyon crawlers attack the tribes but the Zhang leader forces one back with her curved sword while Katara uses her Waterbending to whip another canyon crawler that's attacking two Gan Jin men but another canyon crawler breaks Katara's water but Laphicet attacks it with his fire Artes its legs and then he uses a lighning Arte to burn it but another canyon crawler is behind Laphicet and attacks but Velvet used Soul Break: Scarlet Edge to kill the canyon crawler and Sokka is being chased by another canyon crawler and Velvet used Scarlet Edge again to save his butt but more canyon crawlers have cornered small bands of tribes.

"What're we supposed to do?" Velvet asked and she sees some canyon crawlers eating food with their faces covered in food bags, this gives Velvet an idea. "Everybody watch me! Do what I do!" She picks up a food bag and she leaps over to the nearest bunch of canyon crawlers and she throws a piece of food at them and one of the crawlers eat the food and it charges at Velvet but she places the bag over the crawler's mouth, then she catapults herself onto its back and uses the bag straps as reins.

The Gan Jins and the Zhangs work together and they do what Velvet did and now everyone is on each of a canyon crawler's back.

"Now follow me! We're getting out of here!" Velvet said as she swings a rod with a bag of food in front of her crawler and it starts following the bag of food and starts climbing up the climb and everyone else joins her while Momo flew up and as soon as Velvet and her crawler reach the cliff she gets off. "Everyone off!" Everyone gets off their crawlers.

"We made it!" The Zhang leader said.

Velvet then goes over to the edge of the cliff and she throws the bag of food over the cliff and the bag drops food as it falls and the crawlers go after it.

"That was smart thinking, Velvet." Laphicet said.

"Thought we'd never get outta that hole." Sokka said.

"I never thought a Gan Jin would get his hands dirty like that." The Zhang leader said.

"And I never knew you Zhangs would be reliable in a pinch." The Gan Jin leader said and Aang sighs happily and Velvet smiles. "Too bad we can't rewrite history. You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei!" The Gan Jin leader said as he draws his sword.

"You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!" The Zhang leader said also drawing her sword.

"Oh, come on! You two were just..." Velvet was cut off by Aang.

"Wait. Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys." Aang said.

"Yes, yes. We're all aware of the story." The Gan Jin leader said.

"No! I mean I really knew them. I may not look like it, but I'm a hundred-twelve years old. I was there a hundred years ago on the day you're talking about." Aang said. "There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened. First of all, Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies, they were brothers, twins in fact and they were eight. The sacred orb from the legend was actually a ball and the eastern and western gates were goal posts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal, but then he fell and fumbled it. Wei Jin didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it back toward the other goal, but stepped out of bounds and so the official placed him in the penalty box not for twenty years, but for two short minutes. There was no stealing and no putting someone in prison. Just a game."

"You're saying the scared orb was a sacred ball?" The Zhang leader asked.

"Nope. Just a regular ball." Aang said.

"What about our tribe's redemption ritual?" The Gan Jin man from before asked.

"That's what the game was called, Redemption. As soon as someone got the ball from one goal to the other, everyone would shout 'REDEMPTION'! Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, but they respected each others' differences enough to share the same playing field." Aang said and the two leaders look at each other.

"I guess it's time to forget the past." The Zhang leader said.

"And look to the future." The Gan Jin leader said bowing to the Zhangs and the Zhang leader bows back and Aang smile.

"Finally." Velvet said.

Later on, Appa arrives at where everyone is at and he still has the old Gan Jins and the sick Zhangs and Aang hugs the bison.

"Good to see ya, boy! Did you miss me?" Aang asked and Appa licks him.

"I cannot thank you enough, Avatar." The Gan Jin leader said.

"Well, I try." Aang said as he's now drenched in Appa's saliva much to the Gan Jin leader's disgust.

"Let us travel the Earth Kingdom capital as one tribe." The Zhang leader said and the tribes cheer and they follow their leaders down the path.

"I'm coming too! I'm sick of this place!" The Canyon Guide said following the two tribes.

"I forgot he's still around." Velvet said.

"That was some luck that you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin." Sokka said.

"You could call it luck...or you could call it lying." Aang said smirking shocking everyone.

"What?!" Sokka asked flabbergasted.

"You made the whole thing up?" Laphicet asked.

"Yep." Aang said.

"You did not." Katara said as she makes a devilish admiration.

"That is so wrong." Velvet said also making a devilish admiration.

"At least you lied in a good way." Laphicet said.

"Normally lying is wrong, but if not for that, then the Gan Jins and the Zhangs would still despise each other. Well done, Aang." Velvet said.

"Where can we get some custard tart? I'm starving." Aang said.

"I'll make something to eat later." Velvet said as they get on Appa and he flies off from the canyon.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Aang:** Being the Avatar is really hard.

 **Velvet:** But you're doing great, I'm very impressed you catch up so fast as an Avatar.

 **Aang:** It's not really easy when you have nightmares of your past.

 **Velvet:** I know that feeling, I used to have that and now they continues to haunt me.

 **Aang:** Yours are worst than mine. Next time: The Storm.


	12. Chapter 12

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 12**

 **The Storm**

 _Aang's dream_

 _Aang is riding on Appa through the sky and shakes the bison's reins smiling and while they're flying Aang sees Velvet flying on Aang's glider and she smiled at Aang, Aang smiles back and then he sees Katara, Sokka and Laphicet flying on a giant Momo and they wave at Aang and Aang waves back._

 _"We need you, Aang." Katara said._

 _"I need you guys too." Aang said but then Aang sees a huge black storm cloud ahead. "Watch out, guys!" But he doesn't see the others anymore. "Guys?" He's getting closer to the storm cloud and he sees someone appearing and it's Gyatso sitting on Appa's head. "Gyatso?"_

 _"Why did you disappear?" Gyatso asked._

 _"I didn't mean to." Aang said._

 _"We need you, Aang." Gyatso said and Aang places his hand on his old master but Gyatso vanishes into ashes and Aang and Appa enter the storm cloud._

 _In the storm cloud lightning illuminates the sky and rain starts to pour down and Aang screams as he holds onto Appa and then the two crash into the sea and Aang is still holding onto Appa while drifting in the water._

 _"We need you, Aang. We need you. We need you, Aang." Many voices said and then a shadow of the Fire Lord appears and lashes out fire._

 _Aang's dream ends_

"AHHHHHH!" Aang screamed as he gets up disturbing Momo and everybody else wakes up from their sleep.

"Who? What? Where? How?" Sokka asked groggily as he looks around ready to fight. "What's goin' on? Did we get captured again?"

"It's nothing, Natsu. Just a bad dream. Everybody go back to sleep." Aang said.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Sokka said as he lays back down to go back to sleep and Aang lays down again.

"Aang, are you okay?" Katara asked.

"I'm fine." Aang answered.

"You know, you've been having a lot of nightmares lately. You can always talk to us if you feel comfortable about it." Laphicet said.

"Thanks, Lucy. I just need some rest. That's all." Aang said.

"You guys wanna hear about my dream?" Sokka asked. Velvet and Katara look at him annoyed.

"No one cares about what happens in your dream." Velvet said.

"Yeah, well I didn't wanna talk about it anyway." Sokka replied as he goes back to sleep and everyone else does the same thing.

It's now morning and Velvet, Katara, and Laphicet pack up gear for their travel while Aang is adjusting Appa's reins and then he points up at the sky.

"Clear skies today. That should mean we'll be in for some smooth flying." Aang said.

"Well, we should smoothly fly ourselves to a market. We're outta food." Velvet said.

"In that case, that's our top priority today." Katara said.

"Guys, wait! We can't go to the market." Sokka said.

"Why not?" Katara asked.

"I'm gonna regret asking, but what exactly happened in your dream?" Velvet asked.

"Food eats people." Sokka said. Aang, Katara and Laphicet shake their heads while Velvet face palms as she actually regretted asking. "Also, Momo can talk. He said very unkind things."

"Whatever he said, then it must've been true." Velvet said, making Aang and Laphicet chuckle while Katara giggle, making Sokka have a sour face.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is streaming through the sea and everyone is on the main deck with Iroh sniffing the air while Flannery looks up at the sky while Zuko is looking through his telescope while Aiko also looks at the sky.

"There is a storm coming and it's a big one." Iroh said.

"You're out of your mind, Uncle. The weather's perfect. There's not a single cloud in sight." Zuko said.

"The storm is approaching from the north. We should alter our course and head southwest." Iroh suggested.

"We know that the Avatar and the Arte users are traveling northward so we're doing the same." Zuko said.

"Prince Zuko, please consider the safety of your crew." Iroh said.

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko snapped and the lieutenant heard what Zuko just said and Zuko walks over to the lieutenant. "Finding both the Avatar and the Arte users are more important than ANYONE'S safety." He walks away to the inside of the ship.

"He doesn't mean that, he's just all worked up." Iroh said to the lieutenant.

Meanwhile at a harbor, the gang are at a produce stand and Katara and Velvet are examining a watermelon and Velvet gives a look of suspicion at the watermelon and the shopkeeper doesn't look pleased by this.

"It's good! It's perfect, I'm telling you!" The shopkeeper said and Velvet shakes the watermelon and it's making a swishing sound.

"I'm not sure if I like the sound of that swishing." Velvet said.

"Swishing means it's ripe. It's the ripe juices swishing around, eh?" The shopkeeper said.

"I think that's true, Velvet. Swishing does mean it's ripe." Aang said.

"I just realized we're out of money anyway." Velvet said putting the watermelon back. "Let's go, Katara." The two walk away from the produce stand and the others follow.

"Great. We're out of food AND money. What're we supposed to do?" Sokka asked.

"We still have gald but can't seem to find a stand that uses it." Laphicet said.

"You could get a job, Sokka." Velvet said. "That's a really standard thing to earn money."

"We shouldn't go out there. Please, the fish can wait. There's going to be a terrible storm." Someone said and it's an old woman talking to an old man.

"Ahh, you're crazy. It's a nice day. No clouds, no wind, no nothing so quit your nagging, woman!" The old man and the gang are overhearing their argument.

"Maybe we should find some shelter." Aang said.

"Shelter from what? It's great out here." Sokka asked.

"My joints say there's going to be a storm. A bad one." The old woman said.

"Well, it's my brain against your joints." The old man said.

"Well, then hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish 'cause I ain't coming!" The old woman said.

"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double what you get! How do you like that?" The old man replied.

"I'll go!" Sokka said.

"You're hired!" The old man said, Sokka grin but he see the others giving unsure looks.

"What? You guys said 'get a job'." Sokka said. "And he says he's paying double."

"Double? Who told ya that nonsense?" The old man asked.

Back at Zuko's ship the four crewmen are on the deck and they are looking up at dark clouds which happen to be storm clouds and the ship is approaching the storm clouds and the lieutenant crosses his arms turning at Zuko.

"Heh. Looks like your uncle were right about the storm after all." The lieutenant said.

"Lucky guess." Iroh said.

"Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect or I'll teach it to you." Zuko threatened pointing his fingers at the lieutenant and then walks away.

"What do YOU know about respect? The way you talk to everyone around here from your hardworking crew to your esteemed uncle and cousins shows you nothing about respect." The lieutenant said and while he's talking Iroh make decapitation motion with his hands to try and not to make any conflict. "You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what else would I expect from a spoiled prince?" The lieutenant asked making Zuko stop where he's at and he twitches his eyebrows and Iroh cover his face.

Zuko turns to face the lieutenant and he assumes his Firebending stance and the lieutenant does the same.

"Easy now." Iroh said attempting to calm them down but Zuko and the lieutenant cross wrists and they prepare to fight but then Iroh gets between them and breaks them up. "Enough! We're all tired from being at sea for too long. Why don't we get some noodles to make everyone feel much better?" Zuko and the lieutenant glare at each other and they walk away in different directions.

"I don't need any of you to keep order on my ship." Zuko said, Iroh places his hand on Zuko's shoulder but he rudely shoves it off and walks away.

Back at the harbor Sokka are loading the old man's fishing boat while Aang looks at the sky with worry and it's full of black clouds.

"Guys, maybe this isn't such a good idea. Look at the sky." Aang said.

"I'm still doin' this job no matter what." Sokka said. "I'm not gonna back out because of some bad weather."

"The boy with the tattoos has some sense. You should listen to him." The old woman said making the old man stop loading boxes.

"Boy with tattoos?" The old man asked as he turns to look at Aang. "Those are Airbender tattoos. Well, I'll be a hog-monkey's uncle! You're the Avatar!"

"That's right." Katara said said smiling.

"Don't be so smiley about it! The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years. You turned your back on the world!" The old man said poking Aang's chest.

"Don't yell at him!" Katara yelled defending Aang. "You don't even know what you're talking about! Aang would NEVER turn his back on anyone!" Velvet was familiar with those words and clinched her hand into a fist.

"Oh, he wouldn't, eh? Then I guess I've imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering." The old man said making Aang feel guilty.

"It is clear you have gone senile! Aang is one of the bravest people we know!" Laphicet said.

"He's right. Aang has done nothing but help people and save lives since I met him." Katara said.

"Besides, it's not his fault he disappeared right, Aang?" Laphicet asked turning to Aang, who is still feeling guilty and he's backing up.

"Aang? What's wrong?" Katara asked and then Aang opens his glider and flies off. "Aang, wait!"

"That's right! Keep flying!" The old man called. Velvet gets extremely ticked off and she punches the old man knocking him into the water.

"YOU'RE A HORRIBLE OLD MAN!" Velvet growled.

"Imagine how you would feel if Aang wasn't there to save you!" Katara said.

"Go find Aang, I'll stay and look after Sokka." Laphicet said.

"Ehh." The old man said, Katara and Velvet get on Appa.

"Appa, yip yip!" Katara said and Appa flies off after Aang and the old man gets out of the water after being punched by Velvet.

"Hey. They left without saying goodbye." Sokka said.

"Your friends ain't too polite, are they?" The old man asked.

"I know. This one time, I was..." Sokka was cut off by the old man.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get below deck." The old man said giving Sokka a box.

"Sis..." Laphicet said worried after seeing his sister's look in her eyes.

The sky is now black with storm clouds and rain is pouring down while Appa is skirting a mountain face at high speed and Katara is driving Appa while Velvet are on the saddle and they are shielding their eyes as they search for Aang in the rain and while Appa is still flying they see a cave in the face of a mountain with a parapet and a stoned staircase leading up to it from the shoreline and Appa takes them there. Velvet and Katara enter the cave and they see someone in front of them and it's Aang, who is sitting farther back in the cave with a downcast look.

"I'm sorry I ran away." Aang said not looking at them.

"You're not the one who should apologize." Katara said.

"Yeah. That fisherman was way outta line." Velvet said.

"Actually, he wasn't." Aang said.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Aang said.

"It has to do with those nightmares, right?" Velvet asked and Aang doesn't say anything.

"If you have a problem, Aang, then talk to us. We're here for you." Katara said.

"Well, it's kind of a long story." Aang said and Momo enter the cave.

"Long or short, we're willing to listen what you have to say." Katara said and then Appa enters and he nudges the Airbender.

"Here, I'll start a little fire." Velvet said as she strokes a cheery fire.

Aang, Velvet and Katara are sitting next to the fire.

"I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar." Aang said.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Young Airbenders are playing outside of the Southern Air Temple while flying bison are flying in the sky and Aang is with the other Airbender children and he's teaching them how to make an air scooter._

 _"First, you form a ball and then you quickly get on it." Aang said as he bends an airball under him and he quickly gets on._

 _Aang then starts moving across the plaza at amazing speed and he goes upside down in an archway under a walking bridge and climbs up a wall and gets up onto the bridge and then comes back to the plaza using a nearby set of stairs._

 _"Okay. Here I go." An older Air boy said as he bends an airball under him._

 _"Quick! Get on!" Aang said and the older Air boy gets on but he gets thrown off. "You have to balance on it like it's a top." Aang said._

 _"That's hard." The older Air boy said._

 _"Where'd you learn that trick, Aang?" A younger Air boy asked._

 _"I made it up." Aang answered._

 _"Wow!" The younger Air boy said._

 _Aang sees five older Air monks on stone steps and Gyatso is among them._

 _"Aang, come with us. We must speak with you." Gyatso said and Aang goes with them._

 _The five Air monks and Aang are in an Air Temple chamber and the five older Air monks are sitting on five spaced stools and the middle Air monk is sitting under a parasol while Aang kneels in front of them and the five monks tell Aang what they need to say to him and he's puzzled._

 _"How do you know it's me?" Aang asked._

 _"We have known you were the Avatar for some time. Do you remember these?" One of the monks which is the fourth monk asked as he shows Aang a rolled up package and he Airbends it over to Aang and it lands in front of him while opening by itself and inside the package are four toys which are a little toy turtle, a propeller toy, a little monkey toy, and a rattle toy with yellow and red swirls._

 _"Those are my favorite toys when I was little." Aang said as he picks up the propeller toy._

 _"You chose them from among thousand toys, Aang. The toys you chose were the four Avatar relics. These items belonged to Avatars past. Your own past lives." The fourth monk said._

 _"I chose them because they seemed fun." Aang said as he pulls the cord on the propeller toy sending the propeller spinning in the air._

 _"You chose them because they were familiar." The fourth monk said._

 _"Normally you were not told of your identity until you turned sixteen, but there are troubling signs. Storm clouds are gathering." Gyatso said._

 _"I fear that war may be upon us, young Avatar." The abbot said._

 _"We need you, Aang." Gyatso said and Aang lowers his head down._

 ** _Flashback end._**

Aang's head is still lowered, Velvet and Katara look at the Airbender with concern.

"Gee, that must be very tough for you." Katara said.

"Yeah." Aang said sadly, Velvet looks at him in understanding before looking at her arm.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is sailing through the stormy sky and inside the ship the lieutenant is sitting at a table with the other three crewman and the lieutenant is having a drink while still ticked off.

"I'm sick of taking orders from him and I'm tired of chasing the Avatar and the Arte users! Who does Zuko think he is anyway?" The lieutenant asked.

"Do you really want to know?" A voice asked and they look to see Iroh and the four crewmen stand up in respect.

"General Iroh! We were just..." The lieutenant was cut off by Iroh's raised hand.

"It's alright. May my daughters and I join you?" Iroh asked.

"Of course, Sir." The lieutenant answered and Iroh sit down with the men.

"Please try to understand. My nephew is a complicated young man." Iroh said. "He's been through much."

 ** _Flashback._**

 _A younger Zuko without the burned scar is walking down a hallway and he approaches a room that's guarded by two guards who block Zuko's way before he even got close._

 _"Let me in!" Zuko ordered and Iroh and Aiko walk over to Zuko._

 _"Prince Zuko, what is the matter?" Iroh asked._

 _"I want to go into the war chamber, but the guards won't let me in." Zuko said._

 _"You're not missing anything. Trust me, these meetings are dreadfully boring." Iroh said._

 _"But if I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" Zuko asked and Iroh thinks this over._

 _"Very well, but you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know." Iroh said._

 _"Thank you, Uncle Iroh!" Zuko said bowing to Iroh._

 _The two go into the war chamber and the guards allow them to go in and inside the war chamber Fire Nation generals are sitting around a large map of the Earth Kingdom on the floor while the Fire Lord himself is sitting on his throne watching the generals discussing their plan._

 _"The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here. A deadly battalion of their strongest Earthbenders and fiercest warriors. That's why I'm recommending the forty-first division." One of the generals said._

 _"But the forty-first division is entirely new recruits. How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?" An older general asked._

 _"I don't. They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?" The general said._

 _"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?!" Zuko demanded and the generals look at Zuko displeased._

 ** _Flashback end._**

"Prince Zuko was right, but it was not his place to speak out and there were...dire consequences." Iroh said as he lowers his head and closes his eyes.

Meanwhile, Aang, Velvet and Katara are still at the cave and they are still concerned about Aang after he explained.

"So you were upset that you were the Avatar?" Velvet asked.

"But why weren't you excited about it?" Katara asked.

"I didn't know how to feel about it. All I knew is that after I found out, everything changed." Aang said.

 ** _Flashback._**

 _Aang is outside the Southern Air Temple and sees the other Air children riding around on their own air scooters laughing and having fun._

 _"Hey, you guys have been practicing." Aang said._

 _"Not only that, we also made up this great game with the air scooters." The younger Air boy said._

 _"Neat!" Aang said as he bends his own air scooter but the Air children see this alarmed and they ceased their air scooters making Aang dismayed and confused. "What's wrong?" Aang asked._

 _"Now that you're the Avatar, it would be a pretty unfair advantage for whichever team you're on." The older Air boy said regretfully._

 _"But I'm still the same. Nothing's changed. So what? I can't play?" Aang asked._

 _"It's the only fair way." The older Air boy said._

 _"Oh, okay." Aang said disappointed as he dissipates his air scooter and walks away._

 _"Sorry, Aang." The young Air boy said sadly._

 _"Okay, so who wants to have Jinju on their team?" The older Air boy asked pointing at a very dirty Air boy with a stupid grin on his face._

 _Meanwhile Aang and Gyatso are playing Pai Sho and Aang who is still sad and distracted moves a token on the board._

 _"Very interesting move, young one." Gyatso said._

 _"What do you mean?" Aang asked._

 _Behind Gyatso's back he bends air in and arch over his head and the air goes behind Aang and the air blows Aang's hood over his face allowing Gyatso to quickly switch pieces of the board before Aang removes his hood._

 _"Hey!" Aang said and the two laugh and then the fourth monk from before enters the room._

 _"You're playing games with him? The Avatar should be training." The fourth monk said._

 _"Aang has trained enough for today." Gyatso said._

 _"Time is short. Come with me. I must test you on some high level techniques." The fourth monk said and Aang gets up but Gyatso raises his hand._

 _"No. As long as I'm his guardian, I will decide when he trains and when he gets his butt kicked at Pai Sho." Gyatso said making the fourth monk snort and walks off making Aang smile._

 ** _Flashback end._**

Meanwhile back at the ship, Iroh continues explaining what happens next.

"After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said that Prince Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect. There was only one way to resolve this." Iroh said.

"An Agni Kai. A Firebending duel." The lieutenant said.

"That's right. Prince Zuko looked at the general he had insulted and he declared that he was not afraid, but Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general. Zuko had spoken out against the general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom Zuko had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father." Iroh said.

Meanwhile after Aang explained what happened next Katara small smiled.

"It's great that Gyatso was the only one to cheer you up about being the Avatar." Katara said.

"Yeah, but just when I was starting to feel better, something worse happened." Aang said.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Gyatso and the fourth monk are at the Air Temple chamber standing in front of the abbot who is sitting in the middle stool under his parasol and the two discuss about Aang with the abbot._

 _"Aang needs to have freedom and fun. He needs to grow up as a normal boy." Gyatso said and the fourth monk scoffs._

 _"You can't keep protecting him from his destiny!" The fourth monk said._

 _"Gyatso, I know you mean well, but you are letting your affection with the boy cloud your judgement." The abbot said._

 _"All I want is what's best for him." Gyatso said._

 _"But what we need is what's best for the world. You and Aang must be separated. The Avatar will be sent to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training." The abbot said shocking Gyatso but he bows and unknowing to them Aang is in a hole of the ceiling overhearing the conversation and he is devastated by what the abbot said._

 ** _Flashback end._**

After Aang explained about what happened and Katara was flabbergasted by this.

"That's awful." Katara said.

"I agree. I don't even know what to say about this." Velvet said and Katara places her hand on Aang's shoulder but he gets up angry.

"How can they do that to me?! They wanted to take away everything I knew and the people that I loved!" Aang yelled as his arrows and eyes glow again and energy is forming around him again causing the fire to swirl around the others.

"Whoa! Hot cinders!" Katara said as cinders get close to her.

Velvet quickly puts her hand on Aang's shoulder to make him calm down and his eyes and arrows are not glowing anymore.

"Thanks, Velvet. I'm sorry I got so mad." Aang said.

"Nobody blames you. We all know how you feel." Velvet said.

"I'm with Velvet. You have the right to be angry after the monks sent you away like that." Katara said.

"Actually, that's not what happened." Aang said.

"Then what actually happened?" Velvet asked and Aang sighs as he has a guilty look on his face.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Aang is in his room and he's watching the other Air children playing outside with their air scooters from his window with a sad look as he wished to join them and play with them again like he used to and then he walks away from the window and lays down on his bed still sad._

"I was afraid and confused. I didn't know what to do." Aang said as he's narrating during the flashback.

 _It is now nighttime and Gyatso goes to Aang's room, knocks on his door, and enters the room._

 _"Aang, I'm not going to let them take you away from me." Gyatso said but doesn't see Aang. "Aang?" Gyatso asked as he looks around the room for Aang but while he's searching he finds a rolled up scroll on Aang's bed and so Gyatso picks up the scroll, opens it, and reads it but after he read the scroll he gasped and is shocked and he looks outside the window that's showing a very violent storm._

"I never saw Gyatso again." Aang said.

 _Aang is flying on Appa through the stormy sky but then while Appa keeps flying the storm tossed the ocean under them and Aang and Appa plunge into the sea while the storm is still happening and the two drift in the ocean but Aang activates his Avatar Spirit and creates an air sphere encasing himself and Appa in ice._

 ** _Flashback end._**

"Next thing I knew, I was waking up in Katara's arms after she and Sokka found me in the iceberg." Aang finished explaining still guilty.

"You ran away." Velvet said, looking down covering her eyes with her bangs.

"Yeah and then the Fire Nation attacked our temple. My people needed me, but I wasn't there to help them!" Aang said.

"You don't know what would have..." Katara was cut off by Aang.

"The world needed me, but I wasn't there to help!" Aang said.

"Aang..." Katara was cut off again.

"The fisherman was right! I DID turn my back on the world!" Aang said.

"Aang, you're being too hard on yourself. Even if you did run away, I think it was meant to be." Katara said. "If you had remained there, you would have been killed along with all the other Airbenders."

"You don't know that." Aang said.

"Aang, and I know it's meant to be this way. The world needs you now. You give people hope." Katara said.

"At least you can give hope to people..." Velvet said. "I just give fear."

"But you helped a lot of people." Katara said as Velvet stands up.

"That doesn't mean I'm a hero, more like a villain." The gold eyed woman said walking close to the entrance to rest near the wall.

Meanwhile Iroh continues telling the crewmen his story.

"When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy." Iroh said.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Zuko who is now shirtless for the Agni Kai is in a rectangular arena and while Zuko is ready to face his opponent his expression is now horrified to see a shadow figure is his father instead of the general he spoke against to and the Fire Lord walks toward Zuko._

 _"Please, Father. I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn." Zuko said as he kneels to the floor._

 _"You will fight for your honor." The Fire Lord said._

 _"I meant no disrespect. I am your loyal son." Zuko said still knelt on the floor._

 _"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!" The Fire Lord demanded._

 _"I won't fight you." Zuko said._

 _"You WILL learn respect and suffering will be your teacher." The Fire Lord said as he's now standing in front of Zuko who raises his head to his father while tears are flowing from his face._

 _While this is happening there are people watching this and it's the generals from the war room, a grinning Zhao, Iroh who looks fearful and looks away from what will happen to Zuko, and finally a cruel looking girl with black hair that's tied to a short bun and has two bangs on her shoulders, yellow eyes, and is wearing a soldier's uniform and she has an evil smirk on her face as she raises her fist in anticipation of what will befall Zuko._

"I looked away." Iroh said as he's narrating during the flashback.

 _"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Zuko screamed in agony as the watchers are illuminated by flames._

 ** _Flashback end._**

After Iroh finished explaining he had a despair look on his face and the crewmen including the lieutenant are shocked and dismayed.

"I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident." The lieutenant said.

"This was no accident. After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko has shown shameful weakness. As punishment, he was banished and was sent to capture the Avatar, only then could he return with his honor." Iroh said.

"So that's why he's so obsessed. And since the Arte users are with the Avatar now, capturing both of them is the only chance he has of things returning to normal." The lieutenant said.

"Things will never go back to normal." Flannery said.

"Yes, but the important thing is that the Celestial Mage and the Avatar both give Zuko hope." Iroh said.

Meanwhile, Zuko is in a dark room only to be lit by a flame on the alter in front of him and Zuko is having a flashback of two children running and playing across the crest of a hillside while an older man follows behind and another flashback occurs with a young boy at the age of twelve is standing on the same hill crest with another man next to him and the man places his hand on the boy's shoulder and it turns out the young boy is Zuko who looks happy but then the flashback ends and the Zuko now is very scarred and angry but while Zuko is still sitting by himself he hears lightning striking from outside and assumes that lighting has hit the ship so he goes out.

Meanwhile, Aang and Katara are still by the fire while Velvet was resting her eyes but having a nightmare.

 _Velvet's nightmare._

 _It was night and the moon was glowing a blood red color as flames covered a village, people was throwing torches and riding horses. In another part of the forest, a child form of Velvet and Laphicet was running behind a man with white hair in a ponytail. The two siblings tripped and fell, the man stopped and picked them up before running to a tree with a hole in it and sat them down._

 _"Velvet, hide yourselves here." The man told them. "I'm going to save Serika."_

 _"I...I'm so scared... Arthur..." Velvet said frightened with tears in her eyes. The man, Arthur, picks up an apple from the ground and cleans it with his shirt._

 _"Hold this and you'll be alright." Arthur said, placing the apple in Velvet's hand. "This apple has been casted with Serika's magic. It will give you the courage to live."_

 _"For real..." Velvet said, still a little scared._

 _"Of course. Have I ever lied to you?" Arthur asked and Velvet shocked her head as Arthur gives an apple to Laphicet. "I'm coming back for you after saving Serika." Laphicet hugs the man and he hugs back. "Listen, don't get disheartened even if you're afraid. Whatever happens, do not give up." Velvet show her apple to Arthur._

 _"I won't give up." Velvet said. "Because I'm Laphi's older sister, and your disciple." Arthur smiles as he lets go of Laphicet before standing up and run back the way they came from._

 _After a while, the two hears a familiar scream and Laphicet looks up at Velvet scared._

 _"Serika?!" Velvet exclaimed as she got out of their hiding place with Laphicet right behind her._

 _Just when to got out, the sky lights up by a glowing dragon shooting up. They hear a growling sound behind them and sees a person, a dark aura was around him as he grabbs his head and screams in pain as he transformed into a werewolf which made the siblings scream before they ran away. They ran to a peak with ruins of a temple where Arthur was standing with a sword in hand._

 _"Arthur!" Velvet called out as Arthur turned around. The picture then switched to Arthur, who has Laphicet on his sword in the air._

 _Nightmare ends._

Velvet gasped as she woke up, covered in cold sweat and breathed heavily. Katara hurried to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Velvet, are you okay?" Katara asked worried, seeing the look of panic in her eyes.

"It's nothing. It was just a nightmare." Velvet said looking away.

"You're really cold, you should go and warm up by the fire." Katara suggested and Velvet nodded before they got up. Just then, Velvet felt a rush of pain in her arm and holds it with her hand while getting on her knees as she had it hard to breath. "Velvet!"

"Velvet, what's wrong?!" Aang asked, hurring to their side.

"My arm...!" Velvet try to say but was cut off feeling the pain getting worse.

Somewhere else in the Earth Kingdom, Sorey and his group was walking in the forest when the symbol on his left glove glows in a golden light.

"Sorey, your glove...!" The water Seraph noticed and everyone looks at Sorey, who looked at the glove.

"What's going on?" Sorey asked himself.

Back with Velvet, Aang and Katara. Velvet was still on her knees in pain as Aang and Katara was trying to calm her down.

 _"Your time, Velvet, is running out."_ A familiar voice whispered in her ear and Velvet opened her eyes in shock as the pain disappeared. They all heard foot steps coming to the cave and they turned to see the old woman from before.

"Help! Oh, please help me!" The old woman begged and Katara rush over to help the old woman.

"It's okay. You're safe." Katara said as they enter the cave and sit next to the fire.

"But my husband isn't." The old woman said.

"What do you mean? Where are Laphi and Sokka?" Velvet asked.

"They haven't returned. They should have been back by now and the storm is becoming a typhoon. They're caught at the sea." The old woman said.

"I'm going to find them." Aang said standing up.

"I'm going with you." Velvet said also standing up but stumbled a bit.

"I'm staying here." The old woman said sitting down turning her head away.

Aang and Velvet get on Appa, who is ready to take off despite the bad weather happening.

"We'll be back soon." Aang said.

"Watch over her, okay?" Velvet asked and Katara nodded.

"Yip yip!" Aang said and Appa flies off.

Meanwhile on Zuko's ship, Zuko is outside while the ship is battling the waves and everyone is trying to stay upright on the ship's main deck.

"Where were we hit?" Zuko asked.

"I don't know." The lieutenant said.

"Look!" Iroh said pointing up to the bridge tower and a crewman is hanging off some of the rigging.

"The helmsman!" Zuko said as he runs to the external ladder and starts climbing up to the bridge area and the lieutenant follows him.

Iroh then senses something and a lightning strike flares but Iroh bends the lightning through his body away from the crewmen and rescuing the helmsman, Iroh forces the lightning to strike open water and after that happened, Iroh is now smoked and has a confused look but he's undamaged. While the helmsman is still holding onto the rigging he falls off and screams but Zuko grabs him and Zuko and lieutenant work together to get the helmsman down.

Meanwhile Appa is still flying through the stormy sky and Aang is driving Appa while Velvet is on the saddle, shielding her eyes from the rain.

"Where are they?" Velvet asked.

"C'mon, Appa!" Aang said but then a wall of water is up ahead and it towers above them and Appa couldn't pull up in time but they managed to bust through its crest with Appa's strength, Aang spinning his staff and they continue on and then they see a boat. "The boat! It must be them!"

Appa is flying to where the boat is and while this is happening Zuko, Iroh, and the lieutenant see Appa flying over them.

"The Avatar and the Arte users!" Zuko said.

"What do you want us to do, Sir?" The lieutenant asked and Zuko thinks.

"Let them go. We need to get this ship to safety." Zuko said. "Let's head directly into the eye of the storm."

"Agreed." Iroh said as he smiles.

Meanwhile Laphicet, Sokka, and the fisherman are struggling to pilot the fishing boat.

"I'm too young to die!" Sokka said.

"I'm not, but I still don't wanna!" The fisherman said.

While the fishing boat is still struggling against the waves Appa flies to the boat and Aang jumps off the bison and into the boat and he sees lightning hitting the main mast of the fishing boat and the mast breaks and falls on Aang but he air slices to break it into two and Sokka gives Aang the rope.

"Hold onto the rope!" Aang said as he Airbends himself back on Appa pulling Laphicet, Sokka, and the fisherman with him and the three land on Appa and the three smile sheepishly indicating they're okay.

Velvet then sees something coming behind them and everyone turns to see a large wave and they have wide eyes. Appa tries to escape from the wave but the wave is too fast and it submerges everyone and they are now drifting in the water but then Aang activates his Avatar Spirit again and he surrounds himself and his friends in a ball of energy and they rise out of the water and back into the surface and into the sky.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship has reached the eye of the storm and the wind has died down and it is now light raining.

"Uncle, I'm sorry." Zuko said.

"Your apology is accepted." Iroh said placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko then sees the water having a boiling blue mass in front of the ship and a bubble of energy is rising from the sea and into the air and it's Aang's energy rising and it dissipates and while Appa is flying through sky away from Zuko's ship, Velvet and Aang turn to look back at Zuko who looks at them back and Appa flies away back to the cave.

Aang, Velvet, Laphicet, Sokka, and the fisherman are at the cave and the old woman runs to hug her husband.

"Oh, you're alive!" The old woman said.

"I hate to ruin this moment, but you have something to say to Aang right now, old man!" Velvet said.

"He's right! You owe this boy an apology!" The old woman said pointing to Aang.

"He doesn't have to apologize." Aang said.

"What if instead of an apology, I give him a free fish and we call it even?" The fisherman suggested.

"Actually, I don't eat meat." Aang said.

"Fish ain't meat." The fisherman said.

"Seriously, you're gonna pay us, right?" Sokka asked and the fisherman give both Laphicet and Sokka fish shocking Sokka.

"Can you make something with it?" Laphicet asked Velvet.

"I can try." Velvet said.

"I think you guys were right before. I'm done dwelling in the past." Aang said.

"Really?" Katara asked.

"I can't make guesses about how things would have turned out if I hadn't ran away. I'm here now and I'm gonna make the most of it." Aang said.

"I don't think you're gonna have those nightmares anymore." Velvet said smiling.

"If you weren't here now, then I guess I wouldn't be here either. Thank you for saving my life, Avatar." The fisherman said.

"You're welcome." Aang said.

"Guys, do you hear that? It stopped raining." Laphicet said.

Everyone goes outside and they see the sun start to break through the clouds and while everyone is admiring the sight after the storm Appa shakes himself to get rid of the water he got from the rain causing everyone to get wet.

"Appa!" The gang whined but later laughed.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Aang:** What exactly happened back there?

 **Velvet:** I don't know myself. I had a nightmare of my childhood and next, I adored in incredible pain. It was like someone with the same incredible strength and power I have was somewhere nearby, the only one I know of that ability should be dead.

 **Katara:** It can be the Shepherd. Think about it, Velvet and Laphicet have the ability to use Artes that's powerful to match the Avatar's bending. So if there's someone who has the same strength of Artes as Velvet and able to shortly contact her has to be the Shepherd.

 **Aang:** And Velvet is part Seraphim! It'll soon be the time we can finally meet him. Next time: The Blue Spirit and The Shepherd.


	13. Chapter 13

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 13**

 **The Blue Spirit and The Shepherd**

In a fortress with several towers connected by walls and fires burning in the towers there are several fierce looking archers with their faces painted and they shoot arrow after arrow striking their archery range targets and their successive arrows split the other arrow that got a bull's eye right in the middle of its shaft and while the archers are shooting their arrows two people are on one of the towers watching them.

"Absolutely not! The Yu Yan Archers stay here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao." A man said.

"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider. Their precision is legendary. The Yu Yan can pin a fly to a tree from a hundred yards away without killing it. You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards." Zhao said.

"I can do whatever I want with their talents. They're my archers and what I say goes." Colonel Shinu said.

"My search for the Arte users and the Avatar is..." Zhao was cut off by Shinu.

"Is nothing more than a vanity project. We're fighting a real war here. I need every man I've got." Shinu said.

"But..." Zhao was off again by Shinu.

"My answer is final! I don't want to hear another word about it." Shinu said making Zhao grumble.

Just then a red bird which happens to be a hawk comes flying into the tower and the hawk lands on Shinu's shoulder and he unties a message from its back and then it flies away while Shinu is reading the message but then he gets shocked in horror after reading it.

"News from Fire Lord Ozai?" Zhao asked as he takes the message and reads it and after reading the message he smirks. "It appears I've been promoted to Admiral and Shasta is promoted to Commander. My request is now an order." Shinu bows and leaves.

Unknowing to them a figure wearing a blue spirit is on top of the tower listening to their conversation and then leaves.

Meanwhile in a decaying ghost town with an enclosed temple like structure overlooking the decaying town a coughing is heard from inside the temple and it's coming from Laphicet and Sokka, who are in their sleeping bags resting on Appa. While they are coughing Katara and Velvet place wet cloths on their foreheads.

"This should help bring your fever down." Katara said and Sokka coughs again.

"You know what I love about Appa the most? His sense of humor." Sokka said.

"That's nice. I'll tell him." Velvet said as Appa grunts and Sokka laughed.

"Good one!" Sokka said.

"I'm sorry I didn't have the medicine with me." Velvet said as Laphicet smiled at her.

"Don't worry, we're used to this. You don't need to worry." Laphicet said before coughing again.

"You should rest and this time you stay in bed." Velvet ordered and Laphicet nodded before closing his eyes.

"How are they holding up?" Aang asked as he arrives.

"Not so good. Being out in the storm really did a number on those two." Katara said.

"I couldn't find any ginger root for tea." Aang said. "But I found a map." Showing them a map and opens it. "There's an herbalist institute on top of that mountain."

"So we'll able to find a cure for Laphi and Sokka there?" Velvet asked.

"Yeah." Aang answered.

"But Laphicet and Sokka are in no condition to travel. They both need some more rest. I'm sure they'll be better by tomorrow." Katara said.

"And even if we go today, I can't leave Laphi like this and Katara alone with these two." Velvet explained. "I know how to handle this since these conditions I'm really used to. Just that, Sokka can't think as clear as he used to and thinks he's an Earthbender."

"Take that, you rock!" Sokka said swinging at something that isn't there.

"Besides, since we don't have any vessel so we're not safe from Hellions." Velvet said but suddenly felt dizzy and grabbed her head.

"You should get some rest, Velvet. I'll go find the medicine myself." Aang said as he opens his glider and goes to the edge of the temple but then lightning illuminates the outside. "Uh, maybe it's safer to go on foot." He closes his glider and places it back.

"That would be wise." Velvet said.

"Keep an eye on them." Aang said.

"We'll be fine here." Katara said.

"Yeah. Please find that cure." Velvet said and Aang nods.

Aang dashes himself in the air and lands far down the hill the temple is sitting on and Aang starts zooming through the decaying town at high speed with his Airbending.

"Velvet, go lay down on Appa." Katara said.

"Will you be alright?" Velvet asked and Katara nodded.

"I'll wake you up after a few minutes or when I'm going somewhere." Katara said and Velvet smiled tired before laying down on Appa.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is streaming through water again and Zuko is inside the bridge of the ship looking at a map of the world with Aiko and the lieutenant.

"We haven't been able to pick up the trail of the Avatar and the Celestial Mage since the storm, but if we continue heading northeast..." The lieutenant was cut off by light being blocked by a huge shadow.

Everyone sees another Fire Navy ship passing them to starboard and heading the opposite direction and Zuko looks at it with disdain.

"What do they want?" Zuko asked.

"Perhaps they want to play a sporting game of Pai Sho." Iroh said playing Pai Sho with some crewman.

Zuko's ship is now resting alongside the larger Fire Navy ship and later on a herald with two guards behind him arrives at the bridge and the herald is holding two wanted posters of Aang and Velvet while another guard holds two others of Laphicet and Sorey.

"The hunt for the Avatar and the Arte users has been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar and the Arte users must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao." The herald said.

"Zhao has been promoted? Well, good for him!" Iroh said still playing Pai Sho.

"We have nothing to report to Zhao." Zuko said. "Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this sea." The herald said.

"OFF MY SHIP!" Zuko yelled and the herald and the guards leave.

"Excellent! Looks like I win again, but you're still improving. You'll win this time if we play again." Iroh said and the crewman play another game with Iroh while Zuko looks out the window.

Meanwhile in a mountain path there is a Fire Nation lookout post and inside is one lookout looking through a telescope while the other lookout is reading a wanted poster of Aang.

"Says here the Avatar can create tornadoes and run faster than the wind. Pretty amazing." The reading lookout said.

"Aw, that's just a bunch of Fire Lord propaganda. There's no way that's true. Have you even heard what this Arte user can do? It says here she can transform her arm into that of a monster and eat people, animal and even benders. Now THAT'S something." The telescope lookout said as he gets back to look through his telescope.

The telescope lookout sees three bends in the mountain pass and in a flash a cloud of dust rockets through the bend farther away and then finally past the lookout itself with amazing speed leaving wind and dust making the two lookouts blink their eyes and the telescope lookout takes out a horn and blows it to the sky.

Meanwhile, Katara is still in the abandoned temple taking care of Laphicet and Sokka while Velvet is resting for not able to sleep, Sokka start shivering in his sleeping bags.

"Katara? Water..." Sokka said. "Need water..."

"Someone will have to go to the river and get water while someone else stays here and looks after them." Katara said and goes to wake up Velvet. "Velvet, I need to go and get water so I'll be right back." Velvet nodded tired and went back sleeping as Katara goes away.

Meanwhile Aang continues to dash at breakneck speed and he finally arrives at the steps of a circular wooden building and it's the herbalist institute so Aang runs in there and inside are tree, bushes, and flowers all over and Aang finds an old woman and a white furred cat so he runs up to the old woman to talk to her.

"Hello. I'm sorry for barging in like this, but I need some medicine for my friends. They have fevers and they have been coughing and..." Aang was cut off by the old woman.

"Settle down, young man. Your friends are going to be fine." The old woman said as she walks to a table where the white cat is sitting. "I've been up here for forty years, you know. There used to be others, but they all left years ago. Now it's just me and Miyuki." The old woman said petting her cat who purrs.

"That nice." Aang said.

"Wounded Earth Kingdom troops still come by now and then. They are such brave boys and thanks to my remedies, they always leave in better shape than how they were when they arrived." The old woman said.

"Great. Are you almost done?" Aang asked.

"Hold on. I just need to add one more ingredient." The old woman said as she looks around while muttering to herself and as she keeps searching Aang is getting irritated.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is still streaming through the shores and Zuko is on the deck training his Firebending and Iroh arrive at the deck.

"Is everything okay? It's been almost an hour and you haven't even given anyone an order today." Iroh said.

"I don't care what they do." Zuko said.

"Don't give up hope yet. You'll still be able to find the Avatar and the Arte users before Zhao." Iroh said.

"How, Uncle? With Zhao's resources, it's only a matter of time before he captures the Avatar and the Arte users. My honor, my throne, my country. I'm about to lose them all." Zuko said.

"You don't know that." Iroh said.

Back at the herbalist institute the old woman walks to a bush and looks at it.

"Ah, there it is. Plum blossom." The old woman said taking a plum blossom.

"Finally!" Aang said as he gets up from the table he sat at while waiting. "Thanks for all your help." Aang said as he touches the bowl but the old woman whacks Aang's hands with her wooden spoon.

"What do you think you're doing?" The old woman asked.

"Taking the cure to my friends." Aang answered.

"Oh, this isn't a cure. It's Miyuki's dinner. Plum blossom is her favorite." The old woman said as she places the bowl in front of the cat who starts eating.

"What about my friends?" Aang asked.

"All they need is some frozen wood frogs. There's plenty of them down in the valley swamp." The old woman said.

"What am I supposed to do with frozen frogs?" Aang asked.

"Why suck on them of course." The old woman answered shocking Aang.

"Suck on them?" Aang repeated.

"The frog's skin excretes a substance that'll cure your friends. Make sure you get plenty. Once the little critters thaw out, they're useless." The old woman said.

"You're insane, aren't you?" Aang asked.

"Thaaaat's right." The old woman answered as she turns back to her work but turns back to Aang. "Don't just stand there all day. Go!" She whips her wooden spoon at Aang, who now has black gunk on his face.

Aang quickly runs out of the building while wiping his face but while he's still running arrows fly through the air at him and two arrows land in front of him but Aang dodges and looks around and he sees a large number of arrows flying toward him but he bends an air shell around him knocking all the arrows aside from him and Aang picks up an arrow off the ground and offers it to someone.

"I think you dropped this." Aang said but then he sees Yu Yan archers in surrounding trees and they prepare to fire their arrows much to Aang's fright.

Aang quickly runs before the Yu Yan Archers shoot their arrows and he runs out of the way while two groups shoot four arrows at him but he dodges them and keeps running and he runs toward the gate he entered through but the archers block his path and they fire their arrows but Aang dodges again and runs the opposite direction while dodging more arrows being shot by the archers and Aang jumps off the cliff at the back of the herbalist institute and hurtles down the cliff but the Yu Yan Archers jump off the cliff after him while Aang is falling with the cliff face and he lets his hood billow to slow down until he hits a tree beneath and Aang's face gets beaten by the tree brush flying rapidly and after Aang lands the Yu Yan Archers who are still in mid-flight fire anchor ropes into nearby trees as they fall so they can swing after Aang but Aang jumps from tree to tree branch while the archers are still chasing the Airbender and as Aang is still trying to get away he enters a swamp area and lands in the water but then emerges with what looks like a white frozen frog in his hand.

"A frog!" Aang said but an arrow knocks the frog out of his hand.

Aang stands up and tries to run through the water while searching for frozen frogs but arrows fall around him and when gets to a log rising out of the water an arrow pins his right arm to it and several more arrows join the pinning and the archers shoot another volley of arrows but Aang bends a wall of ice in front of him to shield him but the arrows shatter the ice shield and another volley of arrows pin his left arm, then a net covers his upper body making Aang have a terror expression and then changes to a downcast look.

Later on, Aang is now in a dark room with fire that sheds some illumination and while Aang is looking around the room he finds himself shackled to two pillars from his arms and Aang tries to struggle but to no avail and then Aang sees the door opening revealing to be Zhao entering the room and walk over to the Airbender.

"So this is the great Avatar? Master of all four elements? I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide-and-seek is over." Zhao said.

"I've never hidden from you! Let me out and I'll fight both of you right now!" Aang said.

"Um, no. Tell me, how does it feel to be the only Airbender left? Do you miss your people?" Zhao asked and Aang lowers his head. "Oh, don't worry, you won't be killed like they were. See, if you die, you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search for the Avatar all over again. I'll keep you alive...just barely. Oh, and don't worry about your Arte user friend or to be precise, the girl, Velvet. Once she's found, she'll join you and ALL of you will be my prisoners until I deliver you to the Fire Lord." Zhao said and he turns to leave but Aang blows a gale force of wind at Zhao knocking him into the wall and he falls but then he gets up. "Blow air all you want. Your situation is futile. There is NO escaping this fortress...and NO ONE will be coming to rescue you." He exit the room and Zhao slams the door shut.

Meanwhile Velvet, who had woken up, is still watching over Laphicet and Sokka, who are still in their sleeping bags laying on Appa and Laphicet is having a coughing fit and Sokka coughs as well.

"What's taking Katara so long with that water?" Velvet asked. "She should be back any minute."

Katara and Momo return to the abandoned temple and is still carrying Katara's water bag.

"Sorry we're late." Katara said.

"Uh, that's okay. You guys found the water?" Velvet asked.

"Yes." Katara answered giving Katara the water bag.

"Thank you." Velvet said, she suddenly felt dizzy again.

"Are you alright? You've been like this since the storm." Katara said.

"This happened to me before and I think I know who's causing this." Velvet said standing up, looking at the forest. "He's here."

Meanwhile the figure in the blue mask from before is looking at the fortress and then sees what looks like a wagon making its way to the gate leading to the fortress and the masked figure moves to the left and goes over to the underside of the wagon and as the wagon reaches the gate the gate guards look at the wagon and walk around it and when the gate guard checks the undercarriage it's empty.

"All clear." The gate guard said as he looks around the wagon again and there's nothing. "All clear. Go on in." The gate guard said.

The wagon starts to move through the gate and the blue masked figure is inside the wagon and the wagon arrives at the first courtyard and the guards of the courtyard starts unloading boxes from the wagon, while this is happening the masked figure runs from the boxes and ducks into the shadows.

Zhao who is now wearing a ceremonial outfit appears on a balcony with bonfire pots on either side and he looks down at the innermost courtyard full of Fire Nation soldiers standing at attention.

"We are the sons of Fire! The most superior element! Until today, one thing stood in our path to victory: the Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner! This year, Sozin's comet returns to grant us its power! This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se and burns the city to the ground!" Zhao announces and the Fire soldiers cheer at his speech.

While Zhao is giving his speech the masked figure is stealthily breaking into the fortress.

Aang is still in the dark room and he's still struggling to break free but his efforts are not working and so he stops but then frogs he got from the swamp leap out of his shirt.

"No! Don't leave, frogs! My friends are sick and they need you! Please go back to being frozen!" Aang said as he struggles watching the frogs hop away towards the door.

Four guards are standing outside the chamber Aang is imprisoned in but then they hear frog noises making them confused and they look down to see a few frogs coming from underneath the door and while they are looking at frogs they look up to see a Fire Nation soldier helmet bouncing down the corridor and so one of the guards walks up to the corridor and enters the first junction and after he entered a gout of flame erupts from across the hallway making two more guards go to the junction readying their Firebending stances but they see the first guard hanging from the ceiling and all tied up and the two guards see the masked figure on the ceiling and jumps down to confront the guards and fighting begins but the masked figure knocks both guards out but the last guard sees this and grabs an alarm horn but a knife knocks it out of his hand but the guard shoots a gout of flame at the masked figure but the masked figure gets a bucket of water and gets rid of the flame and then the masked figure sweeps the guard's feet out from under him with the empty bucket.

While Aang is still struggling inside the chamber he hears fighting outside the chamber but the fighting ended and the door starts to open and it's the masked figure who takes out two broadswords and runs at Aang who screams in horror but the masked figure uses the broadswords to cut the shackles freeing Aang's arms and feet and the masked figure walks toward the door.

"Who are you? What's going on? Are you here to rescue me?" Aang asked as the masked figure opens the door and motions Aang to follow. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." Aang follows the masked figure.

After they exit the chamber, Aang sees gagged and tied up guards at the door and while Aang is following the masked figure he hears a croak and Aang sees frogs on the floor.

"My frogs! Come back and stop thawing out!" Aang said as he goes for the frogs but the masked figure comes back and pulls Aang by his collar. "Wait! My friends need to suck on those frogs!"

Meanwhile, Velvet was walking in the forest to find what she was sensing. The pulse was getting stronger and stronger with each step she took, the closer the footsteps she heard coming closer. Eventually, she looked into the green eyes of Sorey, who was standing meters in front of her. The wind blows around them as they look at each other in wonder and Sorey slowly draws out his sword but hadn't enough time as Velvet dashes forwards him and tries to slash him with her gauntlet blade. Sorey manages to dodge and properly take out his sword as Velvet tries to strike again. Velvet strikes in fast paste and Sorey is able to block them before Velvet takes out her other blades and kicks him, jumping high into the air. Sorey's sword burns with blue flames and prepares himself as Velvet gets into therion mode and they strike, making a powerful explosion that Katara and Sorey's group could see it from far away.

"Momo, go and see what's going on." Katara asked the lemur, who flew to where the explosion was and Sorey's group hurried themselves there.

There was smoke everywhere and as it cleared out, showing Velvet and Sorey covered in bruses and breathed heavily. Velvet was gripping her arm, that's still in therion form.

"Who are you?" Sorey asked still on guard in case if Velvet attacked again.

"I should be the one asking questions." Velvet growled. "Why do you have that power? The flames of purification!" Velvet dashed to strike again but something strike her back and she was able to slow down thanks to stuck her arm in the ground. Velvet heard the familiar sound of Momo flying to her. "Momo, you're supposed to stay with Katara and the others!" Sorey's group ran forwards him.

"We saw the explosion, are you okay?" The water Seraph asked as the others looked at Velvet, only Zavied was shocked to see her.

"So you were alive..." Zavied said in a hushed voice. Velvet somehow heard those words and looked up to see Zavied. Before she could react, Velvet felt a burn sensation in her chest, stumbling on her knees and her arm went back to normal. "Velvet!" Zavied was fast enough to catch the deamoneater before she falls down to the ground.

"Zavied, you idiot." Velvet said amusing. "Never thought you were still alive..."

"We talk about it later, right now we need to get you somewhere to rest." Zavied said.

"Momo will show you the way to my campsite...in a pair of ruins..." It was the last words Velvet said before collapsing and Zavied takes her arm over his shoulders, Momo flew away as the group followed the lemur to the camp.

There, Katara was really worried over what had happened after the explosion and was also surprised that it didn't wake Laphicet and Sokka up. Hearing footsteps, Katara quickly stood up and sees Sorey having Velvet's other arm on his shoulders and she gasped.

"What happened?" Katara exclaimed and started to fix something to lay Velvet down and red haired girl helped out, placing a pillow and a blanket on the floor next to the fire which Sorey places Velvet on and Katara places another blanket on her body.

"It was kind of my fault this happened to your friend." Sorey said sitting down by the fire. "We were walking around the forest and I got lost. Then the strange thing happened, I was in a trance and the next thing I knew I felt her strange aura that was almost like a Hellion."

"That's because she is part Hellion, Shepherd." Zavied said, making the red haired girl look at him.

"So you knew her from the beginning, Zavied?" The girl asked, making Katara confused.

"Of course I know her, she been the one I was looking for!" Zavied said.

"Do you always talk like that?" Katara asked. "Comfortable when Aang does that with Velvet but you...Wait, did you just talk with a Seraphim?!"

"Yes." The two said in the same time.

"Oh sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Katara and that's Velvet, the two laying in the sleeping bags is my brother Sokka and Velvet's little brother, Laphicet." Katara introduced them all. "The gigant furball is Appa and the lemur is Momo."

"I'm Sorey and this is Rose." Sorey said. "What are you guys doing in these parts?"

"We are on a journey to the North Pole for my friend Aang to learn Waterbending since he's the Avatar." Katara explained which shocked the group in front of her. "We're also trying to find whoever awakened Velvet and Laphicet from their slumber and the Shepherd." Katara then tells them about their journey.

Meanwhile Aang and the masked figure are walking down a sewer passage underneath the fortress while guards are walking back and forth over them and the two hop out of a grate and they are now in one of the courtyards and keep going.

Meanwhile Zhao and a scribe are walking down the hallway.

"I want a full transcription of my speech sent to the Fire Lord along with testimonials from all of the ranking officers present and..." Zhao was cut off by moans and they see guards all tied up on the ground and hanging from the ceiling. Zhao makes an angry face.

Zhao slams open the chamber door to see if Aang is still imprisoned but he finds the chamber empty but they see a frog who croaks at Zhao making him furious and he leaves and the scribe follows.

"Sir, shall I hold off sending that speech to the Fire Lord?" The scribe asked.

Aang and the masked figure are scaling a rope on the innermost wall of the fortress but one of the guards spots the two.

"There! On the wall!" The guard called and a soldier on the wall the two are climbing cuts the rope making them fall.

Aang Airbends himself and the masked figure to a soft landing and as they are on the ground the masked figure takes out the broadswords and start running but Zhao is back on the balcony.

"The Avatar has escaped! Close all gates immediately!" Zhao commanded.

While the two are still running Aang runs past the masked figure.

"Stay close to me." Aang said.

They see the gate closing and so they hurry but Fire soldiers block their path but Aang bends a blast of air to blow them out of the way allowing Aang to get to the gate but he turns to see the masked figure fighting off the soldiers and so Aang decides to help out but a soldier attacks Aang with a spear but Aang grabs the spear, Airbends the soldier away, breaks the head of the spear, and launches back into battle to help while the gate closes behind and while the masked figure is surrounded Aang Airbends all the soldiers away from the two and with a might of effort Aang catapults the masked figure to the top of the wall but the masked figure is surrounded but Aang uses the spear as a helicopter blade to ascend and he takes the masked figure with him to the next courtyard.

Aang is struggling to keep them aloft while the masked figure uses the broadswords to knock the spears that are sent up at the two by the guards away and the two barley arrive at the next wall as they crash onto the battlement and Aang's spear is spinning away while guards charge at them and Aang tries to run for his spear but a guard stops him and swings with his sword but the masked figure knocks the guard off the wall while Aang Airbends the other guards off the wall more soldiers bring scaling ladders and climb up to the two but Aang and the masked figure knock them off before they could even reach the two and with two almighty blasts Aang depopulates the two scaling ladders near him and Aang brings over the two scaling ladders and steps onto the one the masked figure emptied and Aang hands on scaling ladder to the masked figure.

"Jump on my back!" Aang said and the masked figure did what Aang said.

Aang stats using the scaling ladders as massive stilts shedding one each time a step is taken but the first ladder still has Fire Nation soldiers on it but falls into dust.

"Give me the next one!" Aang said and the masked figure does what instructed.

A Fire Nation soldier sends a gout of flame from the bottom to up the ladder but Aang and the masked figure jump off their last stilt and they manage to grab onto the edge of the last wall but they couldn't hold on and the two fall to the ground but the masked figure takes out the broadswords while four Firebenders confront the masked figure but Aang gets in front and bends air to get rid of the flames.

"Hold your fire!" Zhao commanded. "The Avatar must be captured ALIVE."

The masked figure then runs behind Aang and crosses broadswords in front of Aang's throat and there was brief silence.

"Open the gate." Zhao said gritting his teeth.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" A soldier asked.

"Let them out, now!" Zhao ordered.

The masked figure walks backward through the gate while still having the broadswords at Aang's throat.

"How could you let them go?" The soldier asked.

"A situation like this requires...precision." Zhao said smirking.

As the masked figure keeps backing away from the fortress the two are now on the road but Zhao looks on from the top of the main gate and at his side is a Yu Yan Archer.

"Do you have a clear shot?" Zhao asked as a Yu Yan Archer lowers his head as he prepares his shot. "Take out the thief. I'll deliver him to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar." The Yu Yan Archer shoots his arrow.

The arrow flies across the field to its impact point on the figure's mask causing the masked figure to collapse on the ground shocking Aang but he bends a huge cloud of dust around him and the masked figure.

"Quickly! Recover the Avatar!" Zhao commanded as the main gate opens allowing the Fire soldiers to charge at the dust cloud.

While inside the dust cloud Aang removes the figure's mask only to reveal the face of Zuko causing Aang to be shocked and horrified and Aang was about to turn and leave but he looks back at Zuko thinking about what to do which is either leaving him or helping him.

As the dust cloud disappears the Fire soldiers find nothing and they think that Aang has disappeared along with the figure and Zhao who is still watching this from the main gate gets extremely angry.

It's now morning and Aang is in a forest sitting on a root while Zuko is trying to regain his consciousness but he's still dazed.

"Do you know what's worse about being born over a hundred years ago? I miss all the friends I used to hang out with." Aang said. "Before the war started, I used to always visit my friend, Kuzon. The two of us always get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I've ever had and he was from the Fire Nation just like you." Aang looks at Zuko, who looks back at the Airbender. "If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" But he got his answer by Zuko unleashing a gout of flame at him but Aang dodges and flies away on a current of air and Zuko watches Aang hopping from tree branch to tree branch disappearing.

Aang returns to the swamp and starts collecting frozen frogs again without any interruptions this time, while this is happening Zuko is riding his cutter ship back to the main ship and Zuko arrives on the main deck walking past Iroh who is playing his sumki horn and Iroh sees Zuko.

"Where have you been, Prince Zuko? You missed music night. Lieutenant Jee sang such a stirring love song." Iroh said.

"I'm going to bed. No disturbances." Zuko said as he's still walking away to the inside of the ship and Iroh just plays his sumki horn again.

Meanwhile Aang returns to the abandoned temple with a downcast look and Katara sees him with a smile on her face.

"Aang, you're back." Katara said. "So did you find the cure?"

"Yeah." Aang answered as he places frozen frogs in Sokka's mouth and Laphicet's mouth. "Suck on these. They'll make you feel better." Aang walks over to Appa's tail and he lays down on it while sighing. Just then he noticed Velvet on the floor with Sorey and Rose sitting there and the Seraphim sitting or standing in different places. "Who're these guys?"

"This is Sorey and Rose, they were walking around the forest before getting into a fight with Velvet." Katara explained as groaning was heard. Velvet sits up and grabs her head with a pissed off look.

"Glad you're okay at least." Zavied said as he walked over to her but was kicked to the other side of the room.

"Again, you interfere with my business." Velvet said angry. "Can't you stop meddling in what I'm doing?! Every time I meet you, the same thing happens!"

"Look, I'm sorr-" Zavied was cut off by Velvet.

"You're apologizing now, after all you've damaged and making my quest harder than it already was." Velvet said and crossed her arms. "Not only did you stop me, you revived a wyvern and a dragon. Don't you know how hard it was to defeat them?! Back then, there was nothing we could do to bring things back to normal."

"Who is she talking to?" Aang asked.

"That's Zavied, a wind Seraphim who we met not too long ago." Sorey explained. "He's one of my sub lords."

"Sub-lord. Seraphim of water, fire, earth and wind around us. You're the Shepherd!" Laphicet exclaimed figuring out. Katara and Aang looked at the brown haired boy who smiled.

"The one and only." Sorey said.

"You're not as surprised to know that." Zavied said before getting punched in the stomach.

"I knew that by his power when we dueled, it's as powerful as my own." Velvet said smiling a bit.

"You're joying this." Edna said walking to them and Velvet nodded.

"He deserved that, he even got his butt kicked by a twelve year old." Velvet said and Laphicet laughed together with the others. Velvet glances at Edna. "You and Eizen are very similar, no wonder you two are siblings."

"So you really knew my brother?" Edna asked as Velvet got on one knee and takes of one of the gold coins.

"I know him as a friend and talked about you very much." Velvet said.

"If you're on a journey yourselves, why don't join us?" Katara asked. "We're going to travel all around the world."

"What do you think? Lailah, Mikleo?" Rose asked the other two Seraphim.

"I think it would be a good experience and easier to travel around." The fire Seraphim, Lailah, said.

"Not to mention with extra pair of eyes, our quest will go faster to finish." The water Seraph, Mikleo, agreed.

"We're in!" Sorey said.

"Just what kind of cure is this?" Laphicet asked still sucking it.

"I dunno, but this is tasty." Sokka said happily but his happy expression turns puzzled the frog starts to thaw and it starts croaking making Sokka spit it out in disgust.

"Hate it now?" Laphicet asked and then his frog starts to thaw as well and he realizes what it is and he spits it out. "FROG?!" Laphicet asked shocked and disgusted, he and Sokka start spitting and coughing from sucking the frogs.

The frogs that Laphicet and Sokka sucked on start hopping around the temple while Momo tries to catch the frogs and Katara, Velvet, Mikleo, Lailah, Zavied, Edna, Sorey and Rose look at each other confused.

"Why did Aang bring back frogs?" Velvet asked.

"Apparently, he said sucking on them would make those two feel better." Katara said.

"I hope they don't get too mad at Aang for this." Lailah said.

"We'll see." Velvet said.

"I'm going to pretend I never saw this." Rose said while Laphicet and Sokka are still disgusted by sucking on the frogs.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Lailah:** That explosion was really powerful.

 **Mikleo:** Not to mention Velvet's arm was Hellion like.

 **Velvet:** I've had this for a really long time, Zavied just don't know about it as I've only have told a few about it.

 **Sorey:** I have a hard time believing you and Zavied know each other.

 **Velvet:** How?

 **Mikleo:** It's just that...

 **Edna:** He's a pervert.

 **Velvet:** Looks like the loneliness took the better of him, at least he could still cover his body.

 **Lailah:** Next time: The Fortuneteller.


	14. Chapter 14

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 14**

 **The Fortuneteller**

The gang are at a lakeshore camping and just then a large green fish jumps out of the lake and back into the water.

"Look!" Katara said pointing at the green fish.

Sokka gets up and sees the large green fish which looks like a catfish jumping out of the lake again and back into the lake making Sokka annoyed.

"He is SO taunting us! You're gonna be dinner!" Sokka said as he grabs a fishing pole and starts casting it a few times but nothing happens. "Hey! Where's the fishing line?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd need it." Velvet said as she's holding up a necklace.

"Aww, it's all tangled!" Sokka said.

"Not tangled, stupid. It's woven." Velvet said as she stands up. "Here, Katara. Since none of us found your mother's necklace, I figured I'd make one for you." Velvet said handing Katara the necklace.

"Thanks, Velvet. It's great." Katara said.

"Yeah. Great, Velvet. Maybe instead of searching for this 'person' and help Aang save the world, you could go into a jewelry making business." Sokka said sarcastically.

"I don't see why she can't do both." Aang said.

Sokka then sees the green fish jumping out of the water again and Sokka throws his pole but it misses and the fish goes back into the water making Sokka frustrated.

"Stop taunting me!" Sokka said as he takes out a knife and enters the water and lunges into the water with his knife trying to catch the fish.

"When it comes to fish, he'll do anything stupid to get one." Sorey said.

"So how do I look?" Katara asked and Velvet and Aang turn to Katara.

"You look complete." Velvet said smiling. "What do you think, Aang? Aang? Hello, Earth to Aang. Anyone home?" Velvet asked trying to get Aang's attention.

Aang is staring dumbfounded at Katara who is now wearing the necklace Velvet made for her and Katara has some embarrassment on her face and Aang pulls his collar as he's still staring at Katara.

"AANG!" Velvet yelled getting the Airbender's attention.

"Huh? What?" Aang asked.

"What do you think of Katara's new necklace?" Velvet asked.

"Oh, you mean all of her or just her neck? I mean, they both look great." Aang said and Sokka rises out of the lake and is holding the fish.

"Smoochy, smoochy. Someone's in love." Sokka said as he's making kissing impressions at the fish who flips in his hands and knocks Sokka back into the water.

"Uh, well..." Aang stops talking in embarrassment as he rubs his head.

"Stop teasing him, Sokka." Rose said annoyed at Sokka.

"Yeah. Aang's just a good friend. A sweet little guy just like Momo." Katara said rubbing Momo.

"Thanks." Aang said softly.

Sokka comes to the gang soaking wet with an obvious sour look on his face.

"So should we..." Laphicet was cut off by a loud noise.

"What was that?" Mikleo asked as Aang Airbends himself onto a large rock nearby.

Aang looks around to see where the noise is coming from and he points at the source.

"Someone is being attacked by a platypus-bear!" Aang said.

"Did he just say platypus-bear?" Sorey asked.

"Yep." Velvet said.

A platypus-bear is standing in front of a man in a blue outfit who's smiling and the platypus-bear swings its claws at the man but he steps backwards and the platypus-bear attacks again and while this is happening Aang is on a rock behind the platypus-bear and the man sees him.

"Well, hello there. Nice day isn't it?" The man asked as he dodges another attack from the platypus-bear.

"Make noise! It'll run off!" Aang said.

"No, play dead! It'll lose interest!" Sokka said.

The platypus-bear swings its attack at the man but he dodges again.

"Whoa! Close one." The man said.

"Run downhill then climb a tree!" Rose said.

"No punch him in the bill!" Sokka said.

"Then run in zigzags!" Aang said.

"There's no need. It's going to be fine." The mans said as the platypus-bear swings again but the man dodges making it swipe at a large chunk of wood.

Aang then jumps off the rock and lands between the man and the platypus-bear and then bends an air wall pushing the platypus-bear backwards.

"Whoa there!" Aang said and the platypus-bear roars at the Airbender but Appa roars behind it making the platypus-bear drop an egg, runs into the river and swims away.

"Hey look! An egg!" Sokka said and runs up to the egg. "Mmm! Lunch! Lucky for you, we came along."

"Thank you, but everything was under control. There's no need to worry. Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey." The man said.

"Aunt who?" Sorey asked.

"No. Aunt WU. She's the fortuneteller from my village. Awful nice knowing your future." The man said.

"It must be." Katara said.

"That might explains why you were calm when that platypus-bear attacked you." Velvet said.

"But the fortuneteller was wrong!" Sokka said. "You didn't have a safe journey, you were almost killed!"

"But I wasn't. Okay, have a good one." The man said as he walks away but stops. "Oh, and Aunt Wu told me if I met any travelers to give them this." The man said giving Velvet a long wrapped item and then walks away.

"Maybe we should go see this Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It'll be fun." Katara said.

"Oh, come on. Fortunetelling is nonsense." Sokka said while Velvet opens the wrapped object..

"Would you look at that. An umbrella." Velvet said as she opens it and the sky gets dark and rain starts to pour down.

"That proves it." Laphicet said as he, Aang, Sorey and Rose get into the umbrella.

"No it doesn't. You can't really tell the future." Sokka said as he's raising the egg over his head.

"Then I guess you're not really getting wet then." Katara said as the egg slips from Sokka's hands and he tries to grab it but the egg lands back on his head.

"So much for your lunch." Velvet said.

The gang are walking down a road as the rain is still pouring down and Aang, Velvet, Katara, Laphicet, Sorey and Rose are still under the umbrella while Sokka is getting wet.

"Of course she's predict it was gonna rain. The sky's been grey all day." Sokka said.

"Just admit that you might be wrong and you can come under the umbrella." Katara said.

"Look, I'm gonna predict the future now. 'It's going to keep drizzling.'" Sokka said and he crosses his arms making a smug look. "See?" The rain stops and the sun comes out.

"Not everyone has a gift, Sokka." Aang said and they keep moving.

Appa follows but as he passes Sokka, the bison shakes off his wet fur Sokka is getting wet. Later on, the gang walk through a main gate of a village and enter the village square while they are looking around the village they see a building with a man dressed in black which is a herald standing at the door.

"Aunt Wu is expecting you." The herald said.

"Really?" Katara asked while Sokka make disgusted sound.

The gang enter the building and the herald closes the door behind them and as they are looking at the inside a girl with two braided pigtails and wearing a pink kimono enters the entryway.

"Hello. My name is Meng. I'm Aunt Wu's assistant." Meng said but then she sees Aang who doesn't have an enthusiastic expression and is hunched over and her eyes go wide and stares at him. "Well, hello there."

"Hello." Aang said as he's rubbing his nose.

"Can I get you some tea or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?" Meng offered as the gang sit in pillows on the ground.

"I'll have a bean curd puff." Sokka said but Meng ignores him.

"Just a second." Meng said as she bends down to Aang. "So what's your name?"

"Aang." Aang answered.

"That rhymes with Meng and you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?" Meng asked.

"I guess?" Aang said.

"Don't be modest. Their huge." Sokka said spreading his arms wide to show how big Aang's ears are.

"Says the giant-eared cretin himself." Velvet said making Sorey and Laphicet chuckle while Katara and Rose giggle and Sokka crosses his arms.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Aang. Very nice." Meng said.

"Likewise." Aang said and Meng leaves.

"I can't believe we're here in the house of nonsense." Sokka said.

"Try to keep an open mind, Sokka. There are things in the world that just can't be explained." Katara said.

"Or in Gleenwood." Rose said shivering.

"Yeah. Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight into your future?" Katara asked.

"It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs." Sokka said.

Meng then returns while holding a tray of snacks and an inner door opens behind Meng showing a woman in a green kimono and the woman rushes to Meng.

"Oh, Meng! Aunt Wu says I'm going to meet my true love! He's going to give me a rare panda lily." The woman said.

"That's so romantic. I wonder if MY true love will give me a rare flower." Meng said looking at Aang dreamily.

"Good luck with that." Aang said.

"Is that the big-eared boy whom Aunt Wu predicted you'd marry?" The woman asked amused but Meng walks away.

Meng walks over to the gang but her eyes are fixed on Aang and this causes her t trip and she almost dumps the snacks on Aang but he helps her steady her grip on the tray and now their hands are holding the tray together and the two stare at each other.

"Enjoy your snack." Meng said embarrassed as she walks off.

"What was that all about?" Sorey asked.

"I don't know." Laphicet said and then an older woman wearing a yellow kimono enters the entry room.

"Welcome, young travelers. I am Aunt Wu. Who's next for their fortune? Don't be shy." Aunt Wu said and Aang, Velvet, Laphicet, Sorey, Rose and Sokka all look uninterested.

"I guess me." Katara said, getting up and follows Aunt Wu.

After they left Sokka start eating the bean curd puffs and Laphicet tries one as well.

"Not bad. Not bad." Sokka said.

"These are good." Laphicet said and he offers two of them to Sorey and Aang.

"I'm good on puffs." Sorey said.

"Yeah. Me too." Aang said. "So what do you think they're talking about back there?"

"Probably stupid and boring stuff. You know, love, who they're gonna marry, how many babies they're gonna have. Dumb stuff." Sokka said.

"Yeah...dumb stuff like that." Aang said.

"Aang, are you okay?" Velvet asked.

"I'm fine. I just gotta find a bathroom." Aang said getting up.

"Something must be wrong with him." Rose said.

"They're weird." Sokka said as he eats another curd puff.

"Or maybe...no. That can't be possible." Velvet said.

Aang walk down the hallway near the inner door and when he arrives there, Aang press his ear against the door.

Inside a room with four red pillars rising to the roof with a square area in the middle of the room and in the center of the square is a small fire and four pillows are on the square ground. Aunt Wu and Katara are sitting on the pillows in the square area and Aunt Wu feels Katara's palms.

"Your palms are so smooth. Do you use moisturizer?" Aunt Wu asked.

"Actually, I have this special seaweed lotion. I can get you some if you want." Katara said and outside the room Aang stick his tongue out in disgust. "So do you see anything interesting in my love line?" Katara asked and Aang presses his ear again against the door.

"I feel great romance for you. The man you're going to marry..." Aunt Wu began.

"Tell me more!" Katara said.

"I can see he is a very powerful bender." Aunt Wu said and back outside the room Aang grins widely.

Back at the entry room Sokka, Velvet, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose are waiting in the entry room and Sokka sees Aang returning to the entry room looking very happy.

"Looks like you had a very good bathroom break." Sokka said.

"Yeah and while I was in there..." Aang was cut off by Rose.

"We don't wish to know." Rose said thinking what he was gonna say about bathroom stuff.

Aunt Wu and Katara exit the room and return to the entry room.

"Who's next?" Aunt Wu asked.

"Okay, let's get this over with." Sokka said.

"Your future is full of struggle and anguish. Most of it self-inflicted." Aunt Wu said.

"But you didn't even read my palm or anything." Sokka said.

"I don't need to read your palms. It's written all over your faces. You also needed to hear what I had to say about you." Aunt Wu said making Sokka grumble as he sits down. "You, come with me." Aang gets up and follows her.

Aunt Wu and Aang are in the room Katara was in and they sit down on the floor pillows.

"This is the most reliable method of telling your fortune. The bones never lie." Aunt Wu said. "Pick a bone." Aang pick a bone from the urn. "Throw it into the fire." Aang throws his bone into the fire and huge cracks appear on the bone.

"Wow, that's a big crack." Aang said and the bone cracks again almost disintegrated.

"I've never seen this before." Aunt Wu said. "Oh, my." The fire grows huge. "This is incredible! You will be involved in a great battle, an awesome conflict between the forces of good and evil, a battle whose outcome will determine the fate of the whole world!"

"Yeah, yeah. I know this already. Does my fortune say anything about a girl?" Aang asked.

"A girl? You want to know about love?" Aunt Wu asked.

"Yes." Aang said.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't see anything about that." Aunt Wu said making Aang downcast. "Oh, look! I must have missed something." She picks up a sliver of bone. "It's right here. It says 'trust in your heart and you will be with the girl you love'."

"Really? Thank you Aunt Wu!" Aang said, he gets up and clasps his hands in a gesture of thanks before run out while Aunt Wu shakes her head before following him.

Everyone was prepared to go when Aunt Wu arrives.

"Young woman, will you like some fortune?" Aunt Wu said gesturing to Velvet.

"We will wait for you outside." Aang said as the others goes out.

Inside the fortune room, Velvet did the same as Aang by throwing a bone in the fire. Instead of the flames only growing bigger, a black and red butterfly emerged from the flames and flew around before landing on Velvet's ring.

"This is very extraordinaire. I see someone from your tragic past will hunt you and try getting revenge on what happened. I also see someone with a similar past and is going to remind you of someone very close to you, he will help you recover your light in the darkest moment. The butterfly was created by the emotions of your past and will lead you whenever you're lost." Aunt Wu said as the butterfly flew away and Velvet didn't pay to much attention.

"I'm not really interested in fortunetelling but I put it outside because of the butterfly." Velvet said, standing up. "You were going to tell about me fighting the Fire Lord together with Aang and Sorey, right?" Aunt Wu shocked her head.

"No I'm afraid, the person who will hunt you is going to be your final battle together with the Shepherd. That is all I could see but you should be on your guard." Aunt Wu said before Velvet left.

The gang exit the building and they walk down the village square.

"Well, now you guys got to see for yourselves that fortunetelling is a big and stupid hoax." Sokka said.

"You're just mad because you are gonna make yourself unhappy your whole lives." Katara said.

"That woman is crazy! My life will be calm, happy, and joyful!" Sokka said as he gets more angry and kicks a rock off the ground which bounces off a nearby sign and it hits him on the head.

"What about that?" Laphicet asked.

"That doesn't prove anything!" Sokka said.

"Well, I like my predictions." Katara said. "Certain things are going to turn out very well."

"They sure are." Aang said.

"Why? What's she tell you guys?" Katara asked.

"I don't really want to tell you." Velvet said.

"What about you, Aang?" Katara asked.

"Just some stuff." Aang said.

Just then the gang see a large crowd gathering at the center of the village square and the gang approach the crowd and as they enter the crowd they look up at the sky in silence.

"What's with the sky?" Rose asked.

"We are waiting for Aunt Wu to come and read the clouds to predict the fate of the whole village." The calm man the gang met before said.

"That cloud looks like a fluffy bunny." Laphicet said.

"You'd better hope that's not a bunny. The bunny cloud forecasts doom and destruction." The calm man said.

"Oh, brother." Sokka said face palming. "Do you even hear yourself?"

"The cloud reading will tell us if Mount Makapu will remain dormant for another year or if it will erupt." A woman said.

"We used to have a tradition once a year of going up the mountain to check on the volcano ourselves, but ever since Aunt Wu moved to our village twenty years ago, we have a tradition of not doing it." The calm man said.

"I can't believe you would trust your lives to that crazy old woman's superstition!" Sokka said.

"Be quiet. She's coming." Katara said.

The crowd sees Aunt Wu and her herald arriving and Aunt Wu is climbing a large staircase allowing her to get on a little stage and the gang are still among the crowd and Meng is standing next to Aang.

"Hey, Aang, doesn't that cloud look like a flower?" Meng asked.

"Uh, sure I guess." Aang said he quickly gets to Katara. "Hey, Katara, doesn't that cloud look like a flower?" Aang asked but Katara shushes him.

Aunt Wu bows to the crowd and she opens a book she's carrying.

"Bending arrow cloud. Good crops this year and nice big harvest." Aunt Wu said.

"Good news!" An old man said as he hugs an old woman possibly his wife.

"Wavy moon shape cloud. It's going to be a great year for twins." Aunt Wu said.

"Yes!" Two twins in green said at the same time and give each other a high five.

"And cumulus cloud with a twisted nob coming off the end of it. The village will not be destroyed by the volcano this year and someone who is both a mage and a bender shall make sure of it!" Aunt Wu said and the crowd cheers wildly and while the crowd is cheering Aang approaches Katara.

"Uh, since we're here, there's something I want to tell you. I like you, but not normal." Aang said but Katara doesn't pay attention to Aang and she joins the crowd leaving Aang alone making him crushed. "Never mind." Velvet saw the butterfly again flying in the sky, Sorey, Mikleo and Laphicet noticed it and wonders where that butterfly came from and why Velvet looks so interested in it.

Meanwhile Katara is at the front of Aunt Wu's house and she knocks on the door and Aunt Wu opens it.

"Hi, Aunt Wu. I'm sorry to bother you." Katara said.

"Anytime." Aunt Wu said.

"About this powerful bender I'm supposed to marry, is he gonna be handsome? I hope he's tall." Katara said.

"Ah, you want another reading?" Aunt Wu asked.

"Yes please!" Katara answered and Aunt Wu allows Katara in the building.

Meanwhile Aang, Sokka, Velvet, Sorey, Rose and Laphicet walk around the village square and obviously Sokka is in a bad mood.

"I can't believe these saps. Someone really needs to scream some sense into them." Sokka said.

"They seem happy." Rose said.

"Not for long. I'm gonna prove once and for all that Wu's predictions are a total sham." Sokka said.

"Don't pay too much attention to Sokka's stubbornness." Velvet said as she leaves.

Sokka finds a man wearing red shoes and Sokka runs up to him.

"Hey, you! I bet Aunt Wu told you to wear these red shoes, didn't she?" Sokka asked.

"Yes. She said I'd be wearing red shoes when I met my true love." The man said.

"Uh-huh and how many times have you worn these shoes since you got that fortune?" Sokka asked.

"Everyday." The man answered and Sokka gets severely ticked off.

"THEN OF COURSE IT'S GONNA COME TRUE!" Sokka shouted.

"Really? You think so? I'm so excited!" The man said.

"IDIOTS!" Sokka shouted as he kicks a rock and it hits a duck making it fly at Sokka's shoulders and it starts annoying him making Sokka run off while the duck goes after him.

Meanwhile at the reading room of Aunt Wu's building Aunt Wu tells Katara her fortune.

"...and then you'll have your third great grandchild before quietly passing away in your sleep. Is that enough information for you?" Aunt Wu asked.

"Thanks, Aunt Wu." Katara said as she gets up and starts to leave but she turns back. "Oh, one more thing. How warmly should I dress tomorrow?"

Meanwhile Sokka is still at the village square and now out of his mind.

"We don't care what Aunt Wu told you! You need to take a bath sometime!" Sokka yelled at a very filthy man, who grunts in response to Sokka's shouting and he walks off.

Aang then approaches Sokka.

"Hey, Sokka. You know some stuff about girls right?" Aang asked.

"Some stuff? You've come to the right place." Sokka said. "So what can I do you for?"

"Well, there's this girl..." Aang began and unknowing to him Meng is hiding behind a barrel and she giggling.

"I think I know what you mean." Sokka said.

"You do? And you're okay with it?" Aang asked.

"Yeah and to tell you the truth, I've been picking up the subtle vibe that she likes you too." Sokka said.

"She does? Really?" Aang asked and Meng is still behind Aang waving and trying to get his attention.

"Oh, yeah. She's crazy about you. All you have to do is not mess it up." Sokka said.

"How?" Aang asked.

"The number one mistake nice guys like you make is being too nice." Sokka said.

"You can be too nice?" Aang asked.

"Yeah. If you want to keep her interested you two should act aloof, like you don't care one way or the other." Sokka said.

"Okay." Aang said. "If you say so. Thanks."

"Hi, Aang. I was wondering..." Meng was cut off by Aang.

"See you later." Aang said walking away.

"Wow, they're good." Sokka said.

Meanwhile at the outside of Aunt Wu's house Aunt Wu pushes Katara out of her house.

"...and you'll be fine as long as you have a scarf. Bye bye now." Aunt Wu said.

"Okay, thanks, but one more thing." Katara said and Aunt Wu takes a deep breath.

"All right. What is it?" Aunt Wu asked.

"Should I eat a mango or a papaya for breakfast tomorrow?" Katara asked.

"Papaya!" Aunt Wu answered annoyed as she slams the door shut.

"I hate papaya." Katara said as she walks off and Aang is leaning against the wall trying to look nonchalant.

"Oh, hey, Katara. I didn't see you there." Aang said.

"Hi, Aang." Katara said still walking away.

"That's okay. I'm busy with my own stuff." Aang said.

Meanwhile Velvet is walking around the village and stops when the butterfly came down to her, Velvet holds out her finger for it to land as Sorey and Mikleo walks up to her.

"Why are you so interested in that butterfly?" Mikleo asked.

"It was created in the flames when Aunt Wu told me my fortune and said it was created from my emotions of my past." Velvet explained as the butterfly flys around Sorey before landing back on her finger.

"Why don't you name it?" Sorey suggested which made Velvet look at him in confusing. "That butterfly was made from your emotions so you should name it." Velvet looked at the beautiful insect and puts on a small smile.

"Berseria." Velvet said. "It's name will be Berseria."

"That's a very nice name, now we should go to the marketplace to meet the others." Mikleo suggested and the two humans nodded before they walk away.

They finds a marketplace and there she finds Rose, Laphicet and Katara at the papaya fruit stand.

"Ugh, papaya please." Katara said in disgust.

"If you hate papaya, then why take one?" Laphicet asked.

"Because Aunt Wu told me." Katara answered.

"You don't always have to do what she says." Rose said and the shopkeeper hands Katara a papaya.

"Hey, guys." Velvet said joining the two together with Sorey and Mikleo.

"Hi, you two." Katara said.

"Are you guys shopping for food for travel?" Velvet asked.

"Actually, now that you mention it, we might as well." Laphicet said.

"You can go ahead." Katara said.

"Okay. See you later, Katara." Rose said as she, Velvet, Sorey and Laphicet walk off to the next stand.

Before Katara leaves she sees Aang standing next to her and he's still trying to act cool.

"So papaya, huh?" Aang asked.

"Uh-huh. Would you like some?" Katara asked.

"You know me. I don't really care what I eat." Aang said picking up a fruit.

"Okay then. See you later." Katara said as she walks away.

Aang takes a bite of the fruit but then he spits it out hating the fruit.

"Maybe aloof isn't my style. Besides, she's got that _powerful_ bender for her future." Aang said.

"Oh, a panda lily!" A voice said and the two see a woman in green getting a flower from a man in white and pink and the two hug each other.

"Did you see that?" Aang asked Lailah who was walking by.

"Yeah, those flowers are very pretty." She said.

While man and the woman are still hugging happily Aang get between them surprising them.

"Sorry to bother you, but where can a guy get one of these things?" Aang asked pointing at the flower.

Meanwhile Aang is climbing up a rocky path leading up a mountain and Sokka is following.

"I can't believe you two are dragging us all the way up here just for a stupid flower." Sokka said.

"Not just any flower. A panda lily." Aang said. "I saw it in action and it actually works."

"Flowers are fine once you're married, but at this early stage, it's crucial that you maintain maximum aloofness." Sokka said.

"My heart is telling me to get these flowers. Aunt Wu told me if I followed my heart, I would be with the one I love." Aang said.

"Oh great, don't tell me you believe in that stuff too." Sokka said.

"Well, Aunt Wu hasn't been wrong yet. Why should she be wrong about love?" Aang said as they finally arrive at the rim of the mountain which is the volcano and Aang see panda lilies and so he pick up the flowers and sniff them but then Aang look down at the caldera that's full of lava. "Oh, no. Aunt Wu was wrong." Aang drops the panda lily into the lava.

Aang and Sokka look down at the volcano with alarmed expressions.

"Those people think they're safe." Sokka said. "We have to warn them."

"No time to walk." Aang said as he opens his glider, grabs Sokka and they start flying down back to the village.

They land in the village square and they find Katara, Rose and Laphicet waiting outside Aunt Wu's door.

"Hi, Katara." Aang said.

"Can you believe she won't let me in? After all the business I've given her?" Katara asked.

"But, Katara. She doesn't even charge." Rose said.

"I know, but still." Katara said. Velvet and Sorey arrive.

"Hey, guys. What's going on?" Velvet asked.

"Aunt Wu was wrong about the volcano." Sokka said.

"Sokka, you tried to convince me that Aunt Wu was wrong before and it's gonna take a lot to make me..." Katara was cut of by an erupting sound and everyone looks up at the mountain with smoke rising.

"Oh, no." Sorey said.

Later on the gang confront the villagers to convince them.

"Everyone! That volcano is going to erupt any second. Aunt Wu was wrong!" Sokka said.

"Yeah, yeah. We all know you don't believe in Aunt Wu, Mister Science and Reason Lover." A woman said.

"He's telling the truth!" Rose said.

"If you won't listen to him, then maybe you'll listen to me. I want to believe Aunt Wu and her predictions as much as you people do, but my brother and Aang saw lava with their own eyes." Katara said.

"Well, I heard Aunt Wu's prediction with my own ears." The calm man said.

Aang Airbend himself and Velvet jumped onto the roof of a building.

"Everyone listen to us! You're all in danger! We have to get out of here!" Aang said.

"That's right. You people can't rely on Aunt Wu's prediction. You have to take fate into your own hands." Velvet said and another shaking occurs.

"There! Look at that!" Sokka said pointing up at the mountain. "Can your fortunetelling explain that?"

"Can your science explain why it rains?" A man asked.

"Yes! Yes it can!" Sokka answered but the crowd is not convinced and they all walk away.

"They just won't listen to reason." Sorey said.

"But they will answer to Aunt Wu." Velvet said as she jumps down and Aang follows.

"I know. That's the problem." Sokka said.

"Well, now it's gonna be the solution." Aang said.

"That's right. We're taking fate into our own hands." Velvet said.

"So what's the plan?" Rose asked.

"First, we need to borrow Aunt Wu's cloud reading book." Velvet said grinning.

Katara, Sokka, Laphicet, Sorey and Rose are standing in front of Aunt Wu's door acting casual while Velvet and Aang enter Aunt Wu's house using the topmost balcony and the two enter the reading room searching for the cloud book while Momo chitters.

"Quiet, Momo. We don't want anyone to hear us." Velvet said.

Just then a reflection is revealed on a gong in front of Aang and Velvet, the two see the reflection and turn to see Meng startled.

"Oh, we didn't see you there." Aang said.

"You don't like me, do you?" Meng asked sadly.

"I like you." Aang said.

"But not the way I like you." Meng said.

"Oh, I guess not." Aang said.

"It's okay. It's just hard when you really like someone, but they don't think of you that way." Meng said.

"I know what you mean." Aang said sadly.

"She's beautiful by the way." Meng said.

"What?" Aang asked.

"That Water Tribe girl. I can why you like her so much. She's sweet, she's a bender, and her hair seems manageable." Meng said as she tries to put her braided pigtails down but they go back up.

"Don't worry. You're gonna meet a very great guy who's gonna completely fall for you. I know it." Aang said.

"Thanks." Meng said.

"Come on, Aang. Let's go." Velvet said.

"Wait. Don't you two want this?" Meng asked taking out the cloud reading book from her kimono.

"Thanks, but how did you know?" Velvet asked.

"I've kinda been stalking him." Meng answered as she laughs nervously.

"Oh, well, thanks." Aang said blushing.

Later on Velvet, Aang, and Katara are riding Appa through the clouds and Velvet is trying to find the right cloud shape in the book.

"Clouds are made of water and air so between the two of us, we ought to be able to bend and move them to any shape we want." Aang said.

"We can do that." Katara said.

"I found it! The symbol for volcanic doom." Velvet said.

Aang, and Katara start bending the clouds into the volcanic doom shape and while this is happening the villagers are looking at the clouds in horror while Laphicet and Sorey bring Aunt Wu over to her stage.

"Aunt Wu, look! Something is happening in the clouds." Laphicet said pointing at the sky.

"That's strange. It shouldn't...oh, my!" Aunt Wu said as she sees the cloud now having a skull shape.

As the mountain is still spewing smoke Aang addresses the crowd.

"We can still save the village if we act fast. Sorey and Sokka have a plan." Aang said.

"Lava is gonna flow downhill to this spot." Sokka said.

"If we can dig a deep enough trench, we can channel all the lava away from the village and to the river." Sorey said.

"If you're Earthbenders, come with me and Aang." Velvet said.

"I'm an Earthbender!" One of the twins said.

"I'm not!" The other twin said.

"Everybody else grab a shovel! Let's hurry!" Sorey said as another erupt noise is heard.

The villagers are now outside the village and they start making the trench with Earthbending and digging with shovels but while this is happening the volcano erupts and starts spewing lava.

"Dig faster! Dig faster!" Sokka said and the twins finally connects the trench to the river.

"Everyone needs to evacuate!" Aang said.

"We'll come for you when it's safe!" Velvet said.

The villagers start to run while the volcano is now precipitating ash and lava engulfs the village gate and then the lava passes through the cemetery engulfing headstones as the lava is heading downhill and finally the lava reaches the trench and starts to fill rapidly but it's halted.

"It's too much! It's going to overflow!" Katara said.

"I think I know what to do." Aang said as he runs to the lava.

"Aang!" Sorey called.

"Let him go. I think he know what he's doing." Velvet said.

Another explosion rocks the village and burning rocks start to rain down in addition to ash and everyone sees that Aang hasn't moved and a huge boulder flies out of the sky and lands in the trench exploding and Aang rush forward with determined look on his face and propel himself in the air and he start to Airbend and as lava begins to overflow, Aang blow the lava straight up with wind not allowing it to advance on the villager and finally as Aang draws in a mighty in take of breath and expels it he lets out a huge gust of air cooling the lava. Aang relax and assume a meditation pose while the others watch in awe.

"Man, sometimes I forget what a powerful bender Aang is." Sokka said.

"Wait. What did you say?" Katara asked.

"Nothing. I just said that Aang is one powerful bender." Sokka said and Katara looks at Aang.

"I suppose he is." Katara said.

Later on the volcano is still smoking but it's not erupting and the gang return to the villager square where Aunt Wu and the other villagers are and Aang offers Aunt Wu her cloud book that they 'borrowed'.

"By the way, we kind of borrowed your book." Aang said sheepishly.

"So you messed with the clouds, did you?" Aunt Wu asked as she takes her book in anger while Katara look guilty while Sokka smiles and points at her since she were part of the cloud manipulation too but Velvet punches him and knocks him down but Aunt Wu laughs. "Very clever!"

"No offense, but I hope this taught everyone a lesson about not relying too much on fortunetelling." Sokka said.

"But Aunt predicted the village wouldn't be destroyed and be saved someone who is a mage and a bender. She was right after all." The calm man said and Sokka get to the calm man's face.

"I hate you." Sokka said but Katara take him by his shoulders.

"It's ok, Sokka. Everything's gonna be all right." Katara said leading him away.

"Can I ask you something?" Aang asked.

"Of course." Aunt Wu said.

"You didn't really see love in my fortune. You just told me what I wanted to hear." Aang said.

"Let me tell you a little secret. Just like you and your friend reshaped the clouds, you have the power to reshape your destiny." Aunt Wu said.

"That's good to know. Thank you for everything, Aunt Wu." Rose said. "You ready to go?"

"Let's go." Aang said and the two get on Appa while Katara is at the reins.

"Goodbye, everyone! It was nice to meet you! Take care, Meng." Katara said.

"Bye! Take care!" Meng said waving goodbye as Appa flies off but then her smile is replaced by a frown. "Floozy."

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Sorey:** You must really trust Aang.

 **Velvet:** Yeah, he reminds me of Laphi sometimes and he saved my life a few times.

 **Sorey:** So what were you doing in the Southern Air Temple a few months ago?

 **Velvet:** Aang wanted to go there to see if the Airbenders survived the century he was gone and when he saw his guardian dead, he accidently activated his Avatar state.

 **Sorey:** Do you know how it happened?

 **Velvet:** The Fire Nation did that to his people just like a certain someone I know did to me.

 **Sorey:** Next time: Bato of the Water tribe.


	15. Chapter 15

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 15**

 **Bato of the Water Tribe**

A weapon which happens to be a scimitar made of a whale's tooth is standing upright in the ground of grass and someone grabs the hilt of the scimitar and yanks it out and that person is Aang and he examines the scimitar.

"Hey, look! A sword made of a whale's tooth." Aang said as Sokka slides down a dirt slope and he approaches Aang.

"Let me see that." Sokka said and Aang gives him the scimitar and Sokka examines it thoughtfully.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Water Tribe warriors are in the Southern Water Tribe village and are packing supplies to get ready to assist the war effort while several Water Tribe ships are docked at the shore and a younger Sokka is watching this._

 ** _Flashback end._**

"This is a Water Tribe weapon. Let's see if we can find anything else." Sokka said and he and Aang start searching the wooded area for more weapons.

While Aang and Sokka are searching Velvet, Katara, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose arrive and they have curious looks.

"Did someone lose something?" Velvet asked.

"No, but we found something." Aang said.

Sokka then finds a spearhead lying on the ground beneath fallen leaves and he kneels before it while brushing off the debris and picks up the spearhead and starts examining it and he ashes on its point.

"It's burned." Sokka said as he sees a tree trunk with scorch marks on its bark and everyone else sees this.

"Must've been some fight." Sorey said.

"Yeah. Water Tribe warriors ambushed a group of Firebenders." Sokka said as he now looks down the slope of the hill and sees a black spot on the ground. "The Firebenders fought back, but the warriors drove them down this hill." Sokka races down the hill along a dirt path and leaps over a few large rocks and as he keeps going he stops at a sandy beach and the others follow him.

"So then what happened?" Rose asked.

"I don't know. The trail ends here." Sokka said.

"Hey! Look!" Katara said pointing at something in a distance and it's a boat sitting on the shore.

"A boat!" Wendy said.

"Yeah. One of our boats!" Sokka said and they run over to the boat.

"Is this Dad's boat?" Katara asked.

"No, but it's from his fleet. Dad was here." Sokka said.

"But where is he?" Laphicet asked.

"I don't know." Sokka said.

Meanwhile in Zuko's ship, Zuko and Iroh are sitting at a low-lying table and Iroh is drinking his cup of tea relaxed.

"See, Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well-being." Iroh said as he pours Zuko a cup of tea.

Zuko takes his cup for a drink but then the ship starts to vibrate causing Zuko's tea to go flying and it soaks Zuko's face and hair making Zuko grunt in frustration and he gets up to see what's going on outside.

On the deck of the ship Firebenders stand ready and in front of them is a large beast and a young woman carrying a rolled up whip is mounted on its back and Zuko arrive at the deck.

"Back off! Nyla and I are after a stowaway." The woman said.

"There are no stowaways on my ship." Zuko said as Iroh arrive.

The beast known as Nyla tears off a chunk of the metal deck flooring and hurls it making everyone move aside and the metal piece hits the doorway and Zuko sees this making him angry while the Firebenders prepare for battle but Nyla sticks its head in a gaping hole where the metal flooring was, it starts sniffing around as its vision is in black and white and it sees a stream of green drifting through the air and while Nyla is searching the entire room it sees a barrel that topples over showing a man hiding and as Nyla raises its head out of the hole the man starts to run but Nyla goes after it and while the man is trying to get away Nyla lashes out its elongated tongue and the tongue strikes the man making him fall and he's no longer moving.

"He's paralyzed." Zuko said.

"Only temporarily. The toxins will wear off in about an hour." The woman said as she lifts the paralyzed man. "By then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."

"How did you find him on my ship?" Zuko asked.

"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." The woman said as she puts the stowaway on her shirshu and she mounts on it.

"Well, I'm impressed." Iroh said as the woman cracks her whip making Nyla bolt off the ship and race down the dock. "VERY impressed." Iroh leans over the ledge of the ship stroking his beard thoughtfully making Zuko look at him in disgust.

Meanwhile it is now nighttime and the gang are resting for the night next to the Water Tribe boat and everyone is asleep besides Sokka who is poking a stick into the campfire with a worried look.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Young Sokka is walking by carrying a large bundle in his arms and wearing face paint while his father is standing beside a ship and hands a bundle to a man of the ship and starts to move but then turns to see Sokka walking toward him._

 _"Sokka." Sokka's father said._

 _"I'm coming with you." Young Sokka said._

 _"You're not old enough to go to war, son. You know that." Sokka's father said._

 _"But I'm strong, I'm brave, I can fight. Dad, please." Young Sokka pleaded and his father places his hand on Sokka's shoulder._

 _"Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most. For you right now is here, looking after your sister." Sokka's father said._

 _"I don't understand." Young Sokka said._

 _"Someday you will." Sokka's father said as Sokka throws his bundle away and he hugs his father tightly while crying. "I'll miss you so much." Sokka's father said._

 ** _Flashback end._**

Sokka is still looking at the fire sullenly but then a strange noise is heard.

"Who's there?" Sokka asked readying his boomerang and he sees a man wearing Water Tribe clothing and has white bandages wrapped around his torso and the man is surprised to see Sokka.

"Sokka?" The man asked making Sokka raise an eyebrow but he realizes.

"Bato?" Sokka asked waking everyone up.

"Who the what now?" Aang asked getting up.

"Bato!" Katara cheered as she looks at the man named Bato and she and Sokka run to him and hug.

"Sokka, Katara. It's good to see you two. You've both grown so much." Bato said.

"Hi, I'm Aang and these are..." Aang was cut off by Sokka.

"Where's Dad?" Sokka asked.

"Is he here?" Katara asked.

"No. He and the other warriors should be in the Eastern Earth Kingdom by now." Bato said making the two look crestfallen and a gust of wind blows making them shiver. "This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside." Bato said as he leads Katara and Sokka away but then he turns to Aang, Velvet, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose and he gestures them to follow him and they do follow.

Everyone later arrives at an open courtyard where a few nuns are doing work.

"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey. The sisters have cared for me ever since." Bato said and a nun turns to the gang. "Superior, these two are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar, a few Arte users and the Shepherd. I found them by my boat."

"Young Avatar. Young Arte users and Shepherd. It gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey." The mother superior said.

"Thank you. It's an honor to meet you." Sorey said.

"Yeah. If there's anything..." Aang was cut off by Sokka said.

"What smells so good here, Bato?" Sokka asked.

"The sisters craft ointments and perfumes." Bato said.

"Perfume, huh? Maybe we should dump some on Appa because he stink so much. Am I right?" Sokka asked but everyone remained silent.

"You have your father's wit." Bato said.

"I didn't think he'd have any." Velvet said earning a glare from Sokka.

Everyone then goes into a hut with a tent on the opposite side of the door being a bed chamber, a fire in the middle, various pelts placed and hung everywhere.

"Bato, this looks like home!" Katara said.

"Everything's here, even the pelts." Sokka said.

"Yeah, nothing's more cozier than dead animal skins." Aang said sarcastically.

"Maybe we should go outside if you're uncomfortable." Velvet suggested.

"No. It's okay." Aang said as Momo leaps at a bear pelt and starts hitting it making its mouth close scaring Momo and leaps back to Aang.

"It's just a dead bear, Momo." Laphicet said.

Katara and Sokka are by the fire and Katara opens a pot cooking over the fire.

"No way! Stewed sea prunes!" Katara said.

"Help yourself." Bato said.

"Dad can eat a whole barrel of these things." Sokka said.

Aang takes a bowl and sniffs it but he looks away disgusted and sets the bowl aside.

"Hate it?" Rose asked.

"Pretty much." Aang said.

"Bato, is it true that you and Dad lassoed an arctic hippo?" Katara asked.

"It was your father's idea and he dragged me along. Actually, the hippo did all the dragging." Bato said as Momo starts eating the stewed sea prunes Aang set aside but spits it out.

"Hey, I ride animals too. Appa's a good example. This one time, I rode a giant eel and..." Aang was cut off by Sokka again.

"So who was it that came up with the Great Blubber Fiasco?" Sokka asked.

"You knew about that?" Bato asked.

"Everyone does." Katara said.

"Not us." Rose said.

"Yeah. What's the story?" Aang asked.

"A long one, Aang. Some other time." Sokka said waving the Airbender off making Velvet completely irritated.

"I'm out of here." Velvet said getting up and walks out of the tent.

"Wait up, Velvet." Sorey said following Velvet.

"I'm out too. Not that anyone cares right now." Rose said getting up and leaving with Laphicet following her and no one but Aang notices.

"You and Dad had so many hilarious adventures." Katara said.

"Not all of which were hilarious at the time but everything's funny in hindsight." Bato said chuckling.

"So was it you or Dad that put an octopus on your head and convinced Gran Gran you were a Water Spirit?" Sokka asked.

"Your father wore the octopus. I did the spooky voice." Bato said as Aang is still sitting with a downcast look feeling ignored.

Meanwhile at a seedy tavern in the Earth Kingdom while a man is thrown through the roof and lands on the ground the woman from before known as June is calmly arm-wrestling a man who sweats and gashes his teeth and while this is happening Zuko arrives.

"Out of my way! Step aside, filth!" Zuko said annoyed pushing a man out of the way while Iroh follow him.

"He means no offense. I'm sure you bathe regularly." Iroh said.

Zuko approaches June who is still arm-wrestling.

"I need to talk to you!" Zuko said.

"Well, if it isn't my new friends: Angry Boy and Uncle Lazy." June said and Iroh laughs at June's remark.

June's opponent was gaining the upper hand but June wins her match without breaking a sweat and crowd cheers and throws money at her.

"You thrashed my ship. You HAVE TO pay back!" Zuko demanded.

"Well, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money." June said as she collects her winnings. "Drinks on me!" Crowd cheers and June gets her drink but Zuko grabs her wrist.

"Money isn't what we had in mind." Zuko said.

Everyone is now outside the tavern and Zuko takes out Katara's necklace.

"I need you to find someone." Zuko said showing June the necklace.

"What happened? Your girlfriend run off on you?" June asked.

"It's not the Water Tribe girl I'm after. It's the bald monk and the yellow-haired girl she's traveling with." Zuko said.

"Whatever you say." June said.

"If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship PAID for." Zuko said but June scoffs.

"Forget it." June said.

"Plus, we'll pay your weight in gold." Iroh said making June smirk.

"Make it YOUR weight, and we have a deal." June said as she pokes Iroh's stomach making him laugh.

"You got it." Iroh said.

June takes Katara's necklace and she gives it to Nyla and it starts sniffing it showing its vision again finding Katara's scent which happens to be a purple scent and everyone gets on Nyla and they take off going after Katara's scent.

Meanwhile in Bato's hut Bato, Katara, and Sokka are still having a good time talking to each other about what Bato and Hakoda did during their adventure while Aang is still sitting by himself and is still feeling ignored.

"There's something I should tell you kids. I'm expecting a message from your father." Bato said.

"Really?" Katara asked.

"When?" Sokka asked.

"Any day now. Your father said he'd send a message when they found the rendezvous point. If you wait until the message arrives, you two can come with me and see your father again." Bato said.

"It's been over two years since we've seen Dad. That would be so incredible!" Sokka said.

"I really do miss him. It would be great to see Dad." Katara said making Aang both saddened and worried.

"It's been far too long, hasn't it? I'm not sure when word will arrive, but when it does..." As Bato kept talking Aang gets up and leaves the tent.

Aang walks toward the abbey gate and goes off to find Velvet, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose while Katara and Sokka are still with Bato.

"It would be great, but we can't. We have to take Aang to the North Pole first." Sokka said.

"Even if we do have time to wait for the message, who knows how far we'd have to travel. We don't have time for a long detour." Katara said.

"I'm sure your father would understand. He'd be proud that his children are helping the Avatar, Arte users and the Shepherd." Bato said.

Meanwhile at a different area of the beach Velvet, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose are walking along the shore together with the Seraphim.

"A good walk on the beach is just what I need to get away from those two right now." Velvet said.

"Should we head back?" Lailah asked.

"I don't think they'd even know we left. They're still probably catching up with their dad's friend." Laphicet said.

"Yeah, but we should still see if..." Mikleo cuts himself off as he sees the Water Tribe boat again and it's still on the shore.

"That boat is still there." Rose said.

"Yeah." Velvet said as she walks over to it but as she gets close to it she sees someone sitting on the bow of the boat. "Aang?" Aang turns to see Velvet and the others.

"Oh, hey, guys." Aang said.

"What's the matter? Why're you sitting here by yourself? Why do you look sad?" Zavied asked.

"Well, I heard that Bato said something about a message sent by Katara and Sokka's father. Bato offered they would go with him to see their father." Aang said.

"Are you worried they'd leave you?" Laphicet asked and Aang doesn't say anything.

Just then they hear something coming and they see an ostrich-horse with a man riding on it arriving near the boat.

"I'm looking for Bato of the Water Tribe." The man who happens to be a messenger said.

"Uh, I know Bato." Aang said.

"Make sure he gets this." The messenger said giving Aang a scroll and the messenger rides the ostrich-horse away.

"Is that the message you explained?" Lailah asked and Aang opens the scroll revealing to be a map.

"It's the map to Sokka and Katara's dad." Aang said as he gets frustrated and crumples the map up and stuffs it in his clothes.

"Aang." Sorey said.

"Are you gonna show them that?" Edna asked.

"I don't know." Aang said.

"You'll have to show them that, Aang." Velvet said and Aang doesn't respond.

They later return to the abbey and return to Bato's hut.

"Hey, everyone! Sorry we were gone for so long." Aang said.

"Hey, guys. I didn't notice you guys left." Katara said.

"Obviously not." Velvet mumbled.

"Yep, but now we're back. Sure could go for some delicious sea prunes." Aang said sitting down and starts eating them even though he hated the taste but pretends to enjoy them and Bato, Katara, and Sokka give him strange looks.

"This is just...wow." Rose said.

"Wonder if they're gonna find out." Sorey said.

"Either that or he'll have to tell them." Mikleo said.

Meanwhile Nyla arrives at the herbalist's home that Aang visited before to find the cure and when Nyla growls Miyuki hisses making the herbalist turn to see June, Zuko and Iroh.

"Out for a little fresh air, are we?" The herbalist asked.

"We're looking for someone." Zuko said.

"I hope it's not Miyuki. Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation again?" The herbalist asked and Miyuki meows.

"The Avatar has been through here. Let's keep moving." June said as she makes Nyla leave.

Back at the abbey Aang Airbends a pile of hay to Appa but as he finishes his form the crumpled map falls out of his sleeve.

"Aha! I caught you." The mother superior said picking up the crumpled paper and Aang looks at her nervously. "You should be ashamed of yourself. Littering in the courtyard."

"I'm sorry. I'll take care of this." Aang said as he takes the crumpled paper and the mother superior leaves.

"That was close, huh?" Sorey asked.

"Yeah." Aang said as he stuffs the paper back into his sleeve.

Later on the gang are walking with Bato through the beach to his ship.

"This ship is sentimental to me. It was built by my father." Bato said.

Aang then sees footprints of the messenger's ostrich-horse still being there so he Airbends the sand to cover the footprints and whistles making Velvet shake her head.

"Is this the boat he took you ice dodging in?" Sokka asked.

"Yep. It has the scar to prove it. How 'bout you, Sokka? You must have some good stories from your first time ice dodging." Bato said but Sokka makes a saddened look.

"He never got to go. Dad left before he was old enough." Katara said.

"Oh, right. I forgot you were too young." Bato said.

"What's ice dodging?" Laphicet asked.

"It's a rite of passage for young Water Tribe members. When you turn fourteen, your dad takes..." Bato stops talking for a minute and he places his hand on Sokka's shoulder. "You know what, you're about to find out." Bato said making Sokka smile.

"Have fun." Velvet said walking away.

"Wait for me, sis." Laphicet said following her, Sorey and Rose go with the two.

Meanwhile Nyla arrives at Makapu Village and the citizens flee from Nyla in terror and it stops in front of Aunt Wu who remains still and calm.

"Why are we stopping?" Zuko asked annoyed.

"The girl must have spent a lot of time here." June answered.

"We don't have time for this!" Zuko said as he gets off and holds the necklace in front of Nyla's face and Nyla gets irritated and tries to whip Zuko with its tongue but Zuko quickly ducks. "Hey! Watch it!"

"Oh, look. He likes you." June said and Aunt Wu approaches Iroh.

"Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" Aunt Wu asked.

"At my age, there's really only one big surprise left, and I'd just as soon leave it a mystery." Iroh said.

Nyla then leaves the village to continue following the scent.

Meanwhile Bato, Aang, Katara, and Sokka are on Bato's ship which is now sailing close to shore.

"Ice dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery, and trust. In our village, ice dodging was done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs." Bato explained.

"How are we supposed to ice dodge without ice?" Sokka asked.

"You'll be dodging those." Bato said pointing at a group of tall, sharp, jagged rocks near the shore making Katara and Sokka nervous. "Sokka, you steer and call the shots, lead wisely. Katara, you secure the main sail. The winds can be brutal so be brave. Aang, you control the jib. Without your steady hand, we all go down. Your position is about trust."

"I know that. Why wouldn't I know that? I'm the Avatar. I know about trust." Aang said as he crosses his arms and looks away.

"For this to be done right, I cannot help. You pass or fail on your own." Bato said as he sits down and Sokka studies the rocks.

"Aang, ease up on the jib. Katara, steady." Sokka said and Katara looks at the shore with concern. "Aang, less sail. Katara, give him room." Sokka said as the ship moves to the side and sails between some rocks. "Aang, helm to lee. Helm to lee!"

"What does that even mean?" Aang asked.

The waves are knocking Bato around but he remains seated while Sokka struggles while Katara and Aang close their eyes and the ship passes more rocks.

"Great job!" Sokka said making Aang and Katara smile but then the boat is heading toward a large bundle of rocks.

"There's no way through!" Katara said.

"We can make it." Sokka said.

"Sokka, you've proven yourself. Maybe we should..." Bato was cut off by Sokka.

"Aang, I'm gonna need air in that sail. Katara, I want you to bend as much water as you can between us and those rocks. Now!" Sokka said.

Katara starts bending water below the boat while Aang bends air blasts at the sail while Sokka groans nervously as the boat clears the rocks and when they reach clear water Sokka sighs in relief and everyone else smiles at him.

Later on Bato's boat is back to being beached on the shore. Later on Velvet, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose return to them and Bato is holding a cup of paint and dips his fingers in the paint.

"The spirits of water bear witness on these marks. For Sokka, the Mark of the Wise. It's the same mark your father earned. For Katara, the Mark of the Brave. Your courage inspires us. And for Aang, the Mark of the Trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe." Bato said as he places the right symbols on each of their foreheads.

"I can't." Aang said downcast.

"Of course you can." Katara said.

"What's wrong with being a member?" Rose asked.

"You can't trust me." Aang said wiping his Trust symbol off his forehead.

"Aang, what are you talking about?" Katara asked.

"A messenger gave this to me for Bato." Aang said as he takes the crumpled paper out of his sleeve and gives it to Katara and Sokka. "You have to understand. I was afraid you would..." Aang was cut off by Sokka.

"This is the map to our father! You had it this whole time? How could you?" Sokka asked angry. "Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own."

"He's not going on his own. WE'RE going with him!" Velvet said addressing herself, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose. "You two can go look for your dad for all I care."

"Fine by me!" Sokka said as he walks away.

"Now, Sokka. I think you should..." Bato was cut off by Sokka.

"Katara, are you with me?" Sokka asked and Katara looks at Aang.

"Go find your dad." Sorey said. Katara closes her eyes and she nods and walks off with Sokka and Bato making Aang downcast.

At the abbey Bato is helping Katara secure her pack while Sokka puts on his pack on his own while Aang is sitting on Appa while Velvet, Sorey, Laphicet and Rose get ready to go by themselves and Katara walks up to them.

"Good luck." Katara said.

"Yeah. You too." Aang said and Katara goes off with Bato and Sokka.

The mother superior approaches the six.

"We're about to move on." Velvet said.

"That would be best." The mother superior said.

Aang makes Appa walk out of the abbey and after they exit the abbey gate Aang sees Bato, Katara, and Sokka walking away in the distance.

"I'm such an idiot." Aang said.

"No you're not. You were just worried they'd leave you." Laphicet said.

"We're better off on our own. Let's go." Rose said and Aang makes Appa leave the abbey gate.

Later on while the nuns are stirring perfume a rumbling sound alerts them and they stare in fright as they see Nyla entering the abbey with June, Zuko and Iroh still riding on it and while Nyla is searching the abbey the purple scent is leading to the woods.

"We're getting close." June said as she whips Nyla making it leave the abbey and goes into the woods.

Meanwhile Bato, Katara, and Sokka are walking through the woods and as they are walking a howl is heard and it's a wolf's howl.

"That wolf sounds sad." Katara said.

"It's probably wounded." Sokka said.

"No. It's separated from the pack. I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the Water Tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family, and being apart from them is more painful than my wounds." Bato said making Sokka think about when he was younger he saw the eight ships travel away making him have a sad expression.

"Sokka?" Katara asked.

"We need to go back. I want to see Dad, but helping Aang and Velvet is where we're needed the most." Sokka said.

"You're right." Katara said smiling.

"Your father would understand. I know he's proud of you both." Bato said.

"Thanks, Bato." Sokka said.

"I know where to go from here. Take this in case you want to find us. I'll leave a message at the rendezvous point." Bato said giving them a map.

Meanwhile Aang, Velvet, Sorey, Laphicet, Rose and the Seraphim are at the beach again getting ready to leave.

"Looks like we're going alone." Aang said.

"With the nine of us, we're never alone." Lailah said.

"Avatar! Arte users! You both must leave!" The mother superior said running up to them.

"Okay, we get it. Everybody wants us gone." Rose said annoyed.

"A group of people came to the abbey looking for you all." The mother superior said.

"Who?" Laphicet asked.

"A fierce looking woman with a horrible monster, and a young man with a scar." The mother superior explained.

"Zuko." Velvet and Aang said at the same time.

"The beast was using the scent of a necklace to follow you both." The mother superior said.

"A necklace?" Sorey asked confused but then Velvet and Aang realize.

"Katara!" Velvet and Aang said at the same time.

Meanwhile, Katara and Sokka are walking down a long path leading to the abbey but then they hear a rumbling noise and stop and then Nyla appears behind them making them turn to it in fear and Nyla starts sniffing Katara.

"So this is your girlfriend? No wonder she left. She's way too pretty for you." June said.

"Where are they? Where are the Avatar and the Arte users?" Zuko asked.

"We split up. They're long gone." Sokka said.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Zuko asked.

"Pretty stupid. Run!" Sokka said and the two start running but Nyla uses its tongue to paralyze the two.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Zuko asked as Nyla walks toward Katara and Sokka.

"It's seeking a different scent. Perhaps something the Avatar held." June said.

Nyla knocks the map out of Sokka's bag and smells a blue scent coming out of the map leading them back to the abbey and as they return to the abbey the nuns scatter in fear again and Nyla starts searching in circles.

"What's is doing? It's just going in a circle." Zuko said.

Nyla keeps searching the blue scent but then sees the blue scent in the sky seeing Aang and Velvet flying down and as the two fly over Nyla it stands on its hind legs and tries to paralyze the two but Velvet kicks its face knocking it down causing the riders to fall off as well.

"Aang! Velvet!" Katara said.

"Up!" June said as she cracks her whip to make Nyla stand up and she mounts on it again.

"Your beast doesn't scare us. I'll show you." Velvet said, turning into therion form which shocked them.

June makes Nyla charge at Aang but then Appa who is being driven by Rose knocks down Nyla by leaping on its side and Appa growls and snorts while Sorey, Laphicet and the Seraphs get off Appa ready to fight and while they're facing June and Nyla, Aang and Zuko face each other while Laphicet and the nuns drag Katara and Sokka to the side of the abbey.

Zuko starts Firebending at Aang but stops the blasts with his staff and Aang bends a blast of air at Zuko who side steps and sends another fire blast but Velvet attacks Zuko with her claw but he side steps and sends another fire blast at Velvet this time but Mikleo quickly shoots a stream of water and uses an ice arte at Zuko who bends the fire at it, allowing Aang to send another air blast at Zuko while Zavied uses wind Artes knocking him down but he recovers and sends a fire wave at Aang but Lailah starts shooting a phoenix Arte while Zuko moves closer and tries to punch and kick at Velvet but Velvet multi kicks. Zuko dodges the attacks and bends fire at Velvet's feet but Sorey attempts to slash Zuko with his sword followed by a kick getting Zuko but he manage to dodge. Later on, Aang and Zuko exchange their own element blasts at each other while dodging and Velvet punches and kicks at Zuko but he keeps bending fire blasts at Aang who bends air blasts and then the two both bend fire and air at each other at the same time creating a large explosion sending the two to different roofs.

"Aang!" Velvet said but then a tongue almost gets Velvet but she dodges and it's from Nyla with June still on it. "Whatever you guys do, stay away from its tongue. I think it relies on smell so it can see Seraphim."

"Got it." Sorey said.

"Okay." Rose said.

"Get them!" June said as she whips Nyla making it lash its tongue again but they dodged.

Rose takes out her daggers and tries to hit Nyla but June makes it dodge and makes Nyla lash its tongue again but Zavied uses his Artes to blow June off of Nyla who lashes its tongue at him but Edna uses a gravity Arte allowing Mikleo to shoot ice at Nyla while Velvet kicks and claws at Nyla knocking it down and then Velvet goes for June by hitting followed by a kick Arte but June dodges and delivers her own kick but Sorey charges at June with his sword and knocks her down but June whips Sorey but Velvet catches with her whip and tries to drag her away but June lets go and flip kicks at Velvet but Rose spin kicks at June to knock her back while Sorey tries to attack June with his sword again but June dodges and managed to get the whip again and tries to whip Sorey. Velvet counters with her Artes and while they are struggling Nyla gets up and lash its tongue at Velvet which sends her flying, Appa quickly hits Nyla with his tail to the ground and then Rose delivers a powerful punch at June knocking her out as Sorey runs to check on Velvet with Lailah and Mikleo behind him.

Iroh quickly runs to June and he places his hand on her face making June wake up and she stands up.

"Up!" June said whipping Nyla to make it get up and Nyla runs across the abbey while Iroh smiles.

Nyla charges at Rose but Appa attacks Nyla with his tail but Nyla lashes its tongue at the bison paw making him fall and land paralyzed but Appa gets back up and he growls and Nyla growls back. Appa charge at Nyla while Nyla also charges because of June's whip and when Appa make a collision with Nyla. June gets knocked off of Nyla but she whips Appa's back and lands on the ground but Appa tries to stomp on June but she quickly rolls away and Edna tries to get June to the ground a rock but June backs off but Sorey tries to slash at June with his sword while Lailah uses her fire Artes at June but she dodges and tries to whip them but Sorey delivers a powerful punch at June, knocking her back. She recovers and attempts to kick Sorey but Mikleo shoots ice at her and Lailah shoots three fireballs but June dodges the attacks.

Aang is still on the roof and he lifts his head and groans but then gasps as he sees Zuko running across the roof and bends a fire blast at the Airbender but Aang jumps into the air while Zuko sends another fire blast at Aang's feet but Aang made it into the air just in time and bends an air blast at Zuko but as Aang landed Zuko bends another fire blast but Aang bends an air shield to block the fire attack and then bends a stream of air at Zuko sending him to a corner tower of the abbey and Aang bends another air blast but Zuko jumps off the roof and Nyla jumps on making Aang run away but Edna gets on the roof and delivers a powerful earth Arte at Nyla while Rose kicks but Nyla is about to lash its tongue again but Appa slams his tail to send an air blast at the roof while Sokka and Katara are still sitting by a wall.

"I think I'm starting to get some feeling back." Sokka said but then rubble from the roof fall on him. "Ow."

Aang is jumping into the abbey stream courtyard stream and Nyla follows and when June and Nyla are on the roof an explosion occurs making the two run to the side and the explosion was caused by Appa and he charges at Nyla again and gets it but Nyla lashes its tongue again but Mikleo tries to attack with his water Artes while Sorey tries to slash with his sword. While this is happening Iroh is examining some perfume bottles and he sniffs one of them and sneaks one into his sleeve.

Aang is now standing on a well and Zuko bends three fire blasts at the Airbender but Aang jumps to different sides of the well dodging them and Zuko bends another fire blast but Aang ducks and he see that Zuko has Katara's necklace.

"You have something I want." Aang said.

Aang dodges Zuko fire blasts by moving on all sides of the well and Zuko breaks two of the well's beams and sends off the wooden structure away and Zuko jumps on the well's circular stone and starts bending two fire blasts at Aang who dodges them by stepping around the well and Aang sends two air blasts, making Katara's necklace fly off of Zuko and Aang tries to grab it but misses. Zuko lunges at Aang who jumps onto his back and he's flying through the air and manages to grab Katara's necklace with his foot and lands in the well and Zuko bends a fire blast down the well but then water rises out of the well and sends Zuko flying while Aang jumps out of the water which rains a little while Zuko falls down but gets back up and goes for Aang but Appa growls and walks toward the prince but then Nyla lashes its tongue at the bison and June whips Nyla to make it lash its tongue again and Appa falls to the ground, paralyzed.

"Velvet, are you okay?" Zavied asked as the black haired girl gets up.

"Yeah, it hit my arm otherwise no scratches." Velvet said as Nyla looks toward her, the mother superior makes Katara and Sokka smell a vial of perfume making them get their movement back.

"That thing sees with its nose. Let's give it something to look at." Velvet said.

"The perfume?" The mother superior asked and Velvet nods.

Three nuns and Sokka push four pots of perfume and while this is happening Aang is cornered by Zuko, June and Nyla and they attack the Airbender and he dodges their attacks but the nuns and Sokka pour the perfume pots onto the ground allowing Katara to bend the perfume into the air and pour it on Nyla causing its vision to be clouded and it starts going crazy and lashes out its tongue at Zuko paralyzing him and then lashes it tongue at June and Iroh notices.

"June! No!" Iroh said as the tongue hits June and she falls into Iroh's arms.

Nyla is still going crazy since its vision is clouded and it's running around in circles until it climbs up the abbey wall and runs off and everyone runs to Aang to see if he's alright and they smile at him and he smiles back on the ground.

"I didn't see you getting paralyzed." Zuko said but Iroh shushes him as he goes back into position smiling making June angry upon learning this.

Meanwhile Appa who has recovered from Nyla's tongue is flying through the sky and the gang are on the saddle while Aang drives Appa.

"So...where do we go?" Aang asked.

"We're getting you to the North Pole." Katara said.

"Really?" Laphicet asked.

"Yeah. We've lost too much time as it is." Sokka said.

"I thought you guys wanted to see your father." Velvet said.

"We do, but you guys are our family too. Right now, you two need us more." Sokka said.

"And we need you two." Katara added.

"Thanks. I wish I could give you a little piece of home, Katara. Something to remind you..." Aang was cut off by Katara.

"I'll be okay." Katara said.

"Still, just a little trinket. Maybe something like...this?" Aang asked showing Katara her necklace and she's surprised.

"Aang, how did you get that?" Katara asked as she puts on her necklace.

"Zuko asked me to make sure I gave it to you." Aang said.

"Aw, that's so sweet of Zuko. Could you give him a kiss for me when you see him?" Katara asked.

"Sure." Aang said and Katara kisses Aang on the cheek making him blush.

"So we still a team or what?" Rose asked.

"Of course we are. We'll have to be sure not to abandon each other no matter what." Katara said.

"That's good to hear." Sorey said.

"Yeah." Velvet said and Appa is still flying through the air toward the horizon.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Mikleo:** The animals and monsters here are all so, weird?

 **Velvet:** You have no idea. The only thing normal here is dragons.

 **Zavied:** About that, there's something I have to tell you about Eizen.

 **Velvet:** He's been turned into a dragon.

 **Zavied & Mikleo: **You already knew?!

 **Velvet:** I figured that out quite some time ago. Next time: The Deserter.


	16. Chapter 16

In a forest, Momo is leaping from one tree to another and land on a roadside kiosk in the middle of a crossroad, the gang arrive at it and walk over to some posters on the kiosk.

"This should give us a good idea of what's around here." Rose said looking at posters.

"See if you can find a menu. I'm starving." Sokka said.

"Obviously." Velvet said.

"I bet we'll find something to eat here." Aang said looking at a poster.

"What is it?" Laphicet asked.

"It says 'The Fire Day's Festival'. It has Fire Nation cultural exhibits, jugglers, benders, and magicians." Aang said and he turns to Velvet. "This would be a great place for me to study some Firebenders."

"You might want to rethink that." Rose said looking at another poster and shows it to Aang and it's a poster that shows Aang, Velvet and Sorey.

"Hey! A poster of me, Sorey and Velvet!" Aang said.

"It's a wanted poster. This could be bad." Velvet said as Aang takes the wanted poster.

"Velvet's right. I think we should just keep moving." Katara said.

"But I have to learn Firebending at some point. This could be my only chance to watch a master up close." Aang said.

"You know what, I guess we'll check it out." Sorey said and Aang.

"Are you sure about this?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. You really wanna walk into a Fire Nation town where they're all fired up with their...fire?" Sokka asked.

"We'll wear disguises." Laphicet said.

"Yeah and if there's trouble, we'll just leave." Katara said.

"Yeah. Because we ALWAYS leave before we get into trouble." Sokka said.

"Be quiet unless there will be trouble for you." Velvet said and Sokka shuts up.

The gang are now near an edge of a cliff side and they are looking at the Fire Day's Festival and Aang turns to Appa and Momo.

"You four should stay out of sight while we go to the festival." Aang said.

Momo hide into a bush while Appa hides in another bush but looks almost noticeable.

"Ready disguises!" Laphicet said. Velvet, who had taken off her jacket, Laphicet, Katara and Sokka put on their black cloaks while Sorey, who had taken off his Shepherd cloak, and Rose put on their red cloaks while Aang pulls his orange shawl over his head making him look goofy and he smiles.

"It's like you're a whole different person." Sokka said sarcastically while Velvet, Katara, and Rose giggle.

"Let's go." Sorey said and they head for the festival.

The gang are walking around the festival and while they're looking around they see everyone wearing masks.

"I think we need new disguises." Rose suggested.

"You're right." Katara said.

"Where are we gonna get masks like those?" Sokka asked.

"Get your genuine Fire Festival masks here!" A mask dealer called.

"That was surprisingly easy." Sorey said.

The gang choose masks and Katara chooses a lady with makeup while Laphicet picks a white bird mask while Rose picks gets a purple tiger mask while Sorey chooses a green lion mask while Sokka gets a blue smiling mask while Aang gets a red frowning mask but Katara removes Sokka's mask showing his frown face and removes Aang's mask showing his smile and Katara gives Sokka the red sad mask while Aang gets the blue happy mask. Velvet was the only one without a mask since her appearance is very similar to the Fire Nation people.

"Hey! I think they have some food." Aang said.

"Finally!" Sokka said and they run to a shopkeeper. "What do you have?"

"Flaming Fire Flakes! Best in town." The shopkeeper said.

"I'll take 'em!" Sokka said and start eating the Fire Flakes but Sokka has a spasm of spiciness. "Hot! Hot!"

"'Flaming Fire Flakes? Hot? What do you know?" Katara said sarcastically.

"Idiot." Velvet said.

"Hey look!" Aang said pointing at what looks like a puppet show and they see kids watching what looks like a puppet version of the Fire Lord.

"Don't worry, loyal citizens. No one can surprise the Fire Lord!" The puppet Fire Lord said as a puppet Earth Kingdom soldier appears behind and is carrying a rock.

"Oh, no! Look out!" The Fire Nation kids said but the puppet Fire Lord breathes fire and burns the Earth soldier puppet and the kids cheer.

"I didn't realize the Fire Lord had fans." Velvet said.

"Too bad he's gonna get defeated." Rose said and she sees Aang going somewhere. "Aang? Wait! Where are you going?"

"I dunno, but there's a big crowd so it must be good." Aang said walking over to the big crowd he mentioned and the others follow him.

"Knowing the Fire Nation, it's probably an execution." Sokka said.

"There shouldn't be any killing in festivals." Velvet said.

The gang appear in front and they see what looks like a Firebending magician performing a Firebending trick and after he performs his trick, the crowd cheers.

"I gotta learn that trick!" Aang said.

"Thank you! Thank you! And now for my next act, I'll need a volunteer from the audience!" The Fire magician said.

"Oh! Me! Me!" Aang said waving his hand around.

"What do you think you're doing?" Velvet asked.

"I want to get a closer look." Aang said.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Katara said. "It's better that we don't attract attention to ourselves."

"How about you, little lady?" The Fire magician offered pointing at Katara.

"Oh, um..." Katara starts to back off.

"Aww, she's shy. Let's give her some encouragement, folks!" The Fire magician said and the crowd cheers and the Fire magician gets Katara on stage much to Aang's jealousy.

"Aww, that could've been me!" Aang said crossing his arms.

"My next trick is called 'Taming the Dragon'!" The Fire magician said as he sits Katara down in a chair and starts tying her up. "You will be my captured princess." The Fire magician said as he finishes tying up Katara. "Don't worry, my fair maiden! I shall tame this fiery beast!" The Fire magician said as he makes a fire dragon and starts waving it around and acts like he's going out of control. "It's too strong! I can't hold it!"

"We need to help her!" Sorey said and was about to go in.

"No! We don't wanna make a scene." Velvet said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"But what if..." Aang stops talking.

"The rope! It's breaking! The Fire magician said as the rope breaks freeing the fire dragon and it goes for Katara.

"NO!" Aang shout as he get on stage.

Aang using his Airbending to get rid of the fire dragon revealing to be a ray of colors and while this happens, Aang's mask is off.

"Hey! You trying to upstage me?" The Fire magician asked and the crowd starts booing at Aang for ruining the trick and he start doing a goofy dance.

"Hey! That kid's the Avatar!" A citizen said.

"That means the Arte users are here too!" Another citizen said attracting guards' attention.

"Time to go." Katara said and the gang starts running.

While the gang starts to run they see a man in front of them.

"Follow me! I can get you guys out of here." The man said.

"There they are!" A Fire guard said and they run at the gang but the man throws explosives at the guards.

The gang follow the man while still getting away from Fire soldiers that are chasing them still.

"Over there!" A Fire soldier said.

"Aang! Call Appa!" Velvet said.

"Right!" Aang said as he blows his whistle.

"Hope he can really hear that bison whistle!" Sokka said.

"He did it before!" Laphicet said.

"This way!" The man said as he makes a sharp turn down one of the several alleys but the man runs back. "Okay! Not this way!" He makes another turn and they follow.

Their way is blocked by Fire soldiers but the man throws smoke bombs and run past the soldiers down the alley but they come across a dead end with an enormous supply of fireworks but then they see Appa flying down.

"Appa! Down here!" Aang said. Appa lands between the gang and the soldiers and Appa unleashes a gale force of wind blowing the soldiers away but as the soldiers run at the bison he already took off and while Appa is flying the man bites the top of a bomb lighting it and throws it at the fireworks supply creating an explosion and making a beautiful display of fireworks.

"Nice touch setting off those fireworks." Rose said.

"You really know your explosives." Sokka said.

"I'm familiar." The man said.

"You're a Fire Nation soldier then." Velvet said.

"WAS. My name's Chey." Chey introduced.

Everyone later lands at an empty part of the woods and make camp.

"I serve a man. More than a man really, he's a myth, but he's real, a living legend, Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general...or maybe he was an admiral." Chey said.

"He was high ranked. We get it." Velvet said.

"Yeah! Way up there! He couldn't take this madness anymore. He's the first person to ever leave the army...and live. I'm second, but you don't get to be a legend for that. It's okay though. Jeong Jeong's a Firebending genius. Some say he's mad, but he's enlightened." Chey explained.

"You mean there's a Firebender who's not with the Fire Lord?" Sorey asked.

"Great! We've gotta meet him! He can train me!" Aang said.

"We're not gonna meet some crazy Firebender!" Sokka said.

"He's not crazy! He's a genius! And he's the perfect person to train the Avatar and even the Celestial Mage! That's why I followed you to the festival." Chey said.

"We thank you for your help, but we must get to the North Pole by morning." Velvet said.

"Velvet, this could be my only chance to meet a Firebender who would actually be willing to teach me." Aang said.

"It can't hurt to just talk to him." Katara said.

"Well..." Velvet was cut off by Sokka's annoyance.

"That's what you guys said about going to the festival! Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?" Sokka asked.

"Because you're annoying, we hate listening to you, and we don't care what you say." Rose said earning a glare from Sokka who then pouts.

Just then a spear appears from nowhere and in a flash everyone is surrounded by men wearing straw hats, light armor, wearing tribal makeup, and are wielding spears.

"Don't move." One of the men said.

Later on the tribal men start escorting the gang and Chey to their campsite.

"Jeong Jeong told you not to look for the Avatar and the Arte users!" The man said.

"Wait. You know these guys?" Laphicet asked.

"Oh, yeah! Lin Yee's an old buddy. Right, Lin Yee?" Chey asked.

"Shut up! Keep moving!" Lin Yee said.

They go down a hill and they see a cottage with leaves and logs.

"Go on. He sees only you." Lin Yee said.

"That's okay. We can talk later." Chey said.

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is? I need to talk to him." Aang said as he tries to move but Lin Yee stops him.

"No! You wait here." Lin Yee said and pushes Chey. "Go!"

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine. He's a great man." Chey said as he moves forward to the cottage.

Meanwhile at the Fire Day's Festival the soldiers are being interrogated by Zhao and two guards are with him.

"So the Arte users and the Avatar were here, but you let them slip away?" Zhao asked.

"Yes, Sir, but other than that, the festival went off without a hitch." The guard captain said but a huge piece of burning planks of wood falls with a massive crash. "No fights. Theft was way down."

"I don't care about your local crime rates! Which way did they go?" Zhao asked irritated.

"They headed into the forest, up the river I suspect." The guard captain answered.

"Ready the river boats. We're going after the Avatar and the Arte users." Zhao said.

Meanwhile at the settlement the gang are sleeping but they hear Chey exiting the cottage and he approaches the gang.

"What happened?" Velvet asked.

"Can we see Jeong Jeong now?" Aang asked.

"He won't see you either of you. He was angry that I brought you here. He wants you and your friends to leave." Chey said.

"Finally! Let's hit the road." Sokka said.

"Why won't he see us?" Aang asked.

"He says you're not ready. He says you haven't mastered Waterbending and Earthbending yet." Chey said.

"Wait. How does he know I'm supposed to master Waterbending and then Earthbending?" Aang asked.

"He saw the way you walked into camp. He could tell." Chey said.

"I'm going in anyway!" Aang said as he walks to Jeong Jeong's cottage.

"Aang!" Velvet said as she follows him.

Aang takes a deep breath and enters the cottage and Velvet goes inside as well, they both enter the darkness where they see a dark figure sitting cross-legged with a semi-circle of candles and the figure has his back turned on the two.

"Get out." The man said.

"Master, I need to learn Firebending." Aang said.

"Only a fool would seek his own destruction." Jeong Jeong said.

"But I'm the Avatar and Velvet is an Arte user. It's our destiny to..." Aang was cut off by Jeong Jeong.

"Destiny? What would children know about destiny? If a fish lives its whole life in this river, does it know the river's destiny? No! Only that it runs on and on out of its control! It may follow where the river flows, but it cannot see the end. It cannot imagine the ocean." Jeong Jeong said.

"Okay, but it's the Avatar's duty to master all of the bending disciplines." Aang said.

"To master the bending disciplines, you must first master discipline itself. But you have no interest in this, so I have no interest in you! Now get out." Jeong Jeong said.

"Sir, Aang needs to learn it at some point. This could be his only chance." Velvet said.

"Are you both deaf? How can I teach the Avatar if he refuses to listen? Before learning Firebending, he must learn Waterbending and Earthbending. Water is cool and soothing. Earth is steady and stable, but fire...fire is alive. It breathes, grows. Without the bender, a rock will not throw itself, but fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it. That is destiny! You are not ready! You're too weak!" Jeong Jeong said.

Just then the fires of the candles flame up to illuminate the entire hut before going out and a vision begins and one candle is in front of Jeong Jeong while a tree is behind him and in front of Jeong Jeong is Avatar Roku.

"You think I am weak?" Roku asked.

"Avatar Roku! No! No! I did not mean that!" Jeong Jeong said.

"I have mastered the elements a thousand times in a thousand lifetimes. Now, I must do it once again. You will teach the Avatar Firebending." Roku said as he raises his hand and ignites the tree.

"Yes. Yes. I will teach you." Jeong Jeong said.

"Really? That's great!" Aang said raising his hand happily making Jeong Jeong groan in dismay. "So when do we learn Firebending?"

It's now morning outside of Jeong Jeong's cottage and Rose is laying on the ground while Sorey is laying on a boulder and he's talking with the Seraphim while Velvet is checking her equipment while Laphicet watching Katara practice her Waterbending while Sokka is fishing. Aang and Jeong Jeong are in front of the cottage and Aang is standing bandy legged on a flat stone in the river while Jeong Jeong is standing a foot or two away on the bank.

"Widen your stance." Jeong Jeong said and Aang does what he said. "Wider!" Jeong Jeong said Aang does so. "Bend your knees." Jeong Jeong said and Aang bends his knees. "Now, concentrate." Jeong Jeong said and Aang expresses concentration. "Good. Good."

"Now what?" Aang asked.

"Silence! Talking is not concentrating! Look at your Waterbending friend. Is she talking? Even that oaf knows to concentrate on what he's doing!" Jeong Jeong said.

"Hey!" Sokka said.

"At least he's telling the truth." Velvet said earning a glare from Sokka.

"But what am I concentrating on?" Aang asked.

"You must feel the heat of the sun. It is the greatest source of fire. Yet, it is in complete balance with nature." Jeong Jeong said.

"So when do I get to make some fire?" Aang asked.

"Concentrate!" Jeong Jeong ordered.

Aang breathes and is embarrassed as Rose, Laphicet, Katara, and Sokka laugh from behind.

"You four shut up. It's not that funny." Velvet said, they stopped laughing and Aang tries to concentrate.

Later on Aang and Jeong Jeong climb the slope of a mountain and are walking up the path to the mountain's summit.

"Are we coming here so I don't burn anything with my fire blasts?" Aang asked.

"No fire yet." Jeong Jeong said.

"What?" Aang asked.

"Power in Firebending comes from the breath. That is why you must master proper breath control." Jeong Jeong said.

"You brought me here to breathe?" Aang asked.

"Assume your stance." Jeong Jeong said and Aang does so while Jeong Jeong turns away. "Wider."

"But you're not even looking." Aang said.

"Wider!" Jeong Jeong repeated and Aang does so. "Now inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth." Jeong Jeong said and Aang was about ask but was quickly cut off. "Without talking." Jeong Jeong said and Aang starts breathing. "Good. Keep going." Jeong Jeong said as he walks down the path while Aang keep breathing.

Later on Jeong Jeong is in his hut meditating but someone enters the cottage and it's Aang.

"What are you doing here? I did not tell you to stop!" Jeong Jeong said.

"I've been breathing for hours." Aang said.

"You want to stop breathing?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"I want you to stop wasting my time! I already know how to squat, breathe, and feel the sun. I wanna know how shoot fire from my fingertips!" Aang said and Jeong Jeong sighs.

"I had a pupil once who had no interest in learning discipline. He was only concerned with power of fire and how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out any obstacles in his path, but fire is a horrible burden to bear. Its nature is to consume and without control, it destroys everything around it. But I had four pupils who were actually interested in learning discipline of Firebending and I taught them how to control themselves and their firepower." Jeong Jeong explained.

While he's talking Zhao is on his boat and several tribal men attack but Zhao fends them off leaving fire in his wake.

"Learn restraint...or risk destroying yourself and lose the people you love." Jeong Jeong said.

Several hours later Jeong Jeong exits his cottage and he finds Aang meditating in front of the hut.

"I thought about what you said. I promise I'll be more patient." Aang said.

"We're going to work on fire now." Jeong Jeong said.

"Oh, yeah!" Aang said excited but gets serious. "I mean, let us begin." Aang said and Jeong Jeong takes a falling leaf and burns its center.

"Concentrate on the fire. I want you to keep the flame from reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as you can." Jeong Jeong said.

"Master! There is trouble!" A tribal man said.

"What's going on?" Aang asked.

"Concentrate on your leaf!" Jeong Jeong said as he leaves while Velvet, Katara, and Sorey join Aang.

"This is the WORST Firebending instruction ever!" Aang said.

"I'm sure there's a good reason." Katara said.

"But I'm ready to do so much more." Aang said.

"Just concentrate." Velvet said.

Aang does in fact concentrate on his leaf and gets into his stance and breathes and moments later the leaf burns up creating a small flame.

"I did it! I made fire!" Aang said.

"That's great, Aang, but you should take it slow." Katara said.

Aang starts playing with his fire by tossing it back and forth in front of him and behind him and unleash fire blasts in the opposite direction.

"Now THAT'S Firebending!" Aang said.

"Aang! Be careful! You'll hurt yourself!" Velvet said. Aang tosses his fire in the air and spreads his arms out and he smiles but Aang's smile fade as his fire gets Velvet and she's now burned and screams in pain.

"Velvet!" Katara yelled.

"Velvet! I'm so sorry!" Aang said. "It was an accident!" Rose, Laphicet and Sokka come at Velvet's side.

"Velvet!" Sokka yelled concerned.

"Velvet, what's wrong?" Laphicet asked.

"What did you do?!" Rose demanded.

"I'm sorry!" Aang said. "It was an accident!" Rose punched Aang.

"You shouldn't be messing around with something like this!" Rose yelled.

"Look at what you did! YOU BURNED VELVET!" Sorey yelled and Velvet runs away into the woods.

"Velvet, wait!" Katara said as she runs after her.

"Wait for us!" Lailah said as she and the other seraphs runs after Katara.

"You burned Velvet!" Sokka yelled and Jeong Jeong appears. "This is all YOUR fault!"

"I know. Now pack your things. You must leave immediately." Jeong Jeong said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't..." Aang stops talking as Sorey, Laphicet, Rose and Sokka leave. Aang looks at Jeong Jeong who looks displeased and leaves.

Velvet is at a creek panting due to the pain of being burned, Katara and the seraphs show up and sit next to her.

"Velvet, it's okay. I'm here." Katara said but Velvet is still panting.

"Take it...off.." Velvet said in pain.

"What?" Katara asked confused.

"Just take off the bandages! Rip them off if you must!" Velvet exclaimed and Katara hurried to take them off to see her hands all burned.

"Your hands are burned." Katara said as she places her hands on Velvet's and she puts them into the water, then Velvet's hands glow and few seconds later her hands are healed.

"What? Katara, how did..." Mikleo said which made her look at him but was cut off by a voice.

"She has healing abilities." The voice said which happens to be Jeong Jeong.

"The Waterbenders of the Water Tribe sometimes have this ability. I've always wished I was more blessed like her. Free from this burning curse." Jeong Jeong said.

"But you're a great master." Velvet said.

"Yeah. You have powers that we'll never know." Katara said.

"Water brings healing and life, but fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk on a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we are torn apart." Jeong Jeong said.

"Almost like what happened to me." Velvet said, putting back the bandages back on.

"It's great to have a new healer on the team." Lailah said. "Congratulations Katara!" Velvet noticed Katara's face and understood what had happened.

"You can see them?" Velvet asked.

"Somehow I can." Katara said slowly and Velvet looks at her hands.

"It must have happened when she healed you." Zavied said.

"That might be a way for the world to be able to communicate with our kind." Mikleo said.

Just then water in front them is blasted with flames but Jeong Jeong gets up and gets into his defensive stance and breaks the flames that wash over him and the three girls and Jeong Jeong sees boats coming their way.

"Go find your friends and flee. Do not back come back here or you'll be destroyed! Hurry!" Jeong Jeong said.

"But I can help you fight back." Velvet said.

"I will handle this. Go now! Hurry!" Jeong Jeong said.

"Velvet, come on!" Zavied said and Velvet runs with Katara and the others.

Jeong Jeong faces the boats that land harmlessly around him and Zhao is still on his boat and he's looking through his telescope but then lowers it and smirks and while this is happening Jeong Jeong unleashes a large wall of flame at the ships but the boats turn and land on the beach.

"Don't worry, men. My old teacher gave up fighting a long time ago." Zhao said as he walk past the wall of fire and confront Jeong Jeong. "Isn't that right, Master Jeong Jeong?" Zhao asked and Jeong Jeong drops the wall of fire.

Meanwhile Velvet, Katara, and the seraphs turn to Sorey, Laphicet, Rose and Sokka who are getting prepared to leave.

"Velvet! Are you okay?" Sorey asked.

"Never mind me. We need to get out of here." Velvet said.

"Where's Aang?" Katara asked.

"Inside Jeong Jeong's cottage." Rose answered.

Velvet enters the cottage and she finds Aang sulking in the back.

"Jeong Jeong tried to tell me I wasn't ready, but I wouldn't listen. I'm never going to Firebend again." Aang said.

"You'll have to eventually." Velvet said.

"No. Never again." Aang said.

"Aang, it's okay. I'm healed." Velvet said.

"What? How?" Aang asked.

"Katara healed me. We have to get out of here. Zhao and his soldiers are attacking." Velvet said.

"Where?" Aang asked.

"By the river. They captured Jeong Jeong." Velvet answered.

"We have to help him." Aang said.

"Then let's go." Velvet said and they leave the cottage.

Meanwhile Zhao and his men are standing against Jeong Jeong.

"Look at you. You were once so great. I can't believe my former master has become nothing more than a simple savage." Zhao said.

"It is you who has embraced savagery, Zhao." Jeong Jeong said.

"I couldn't care less. Also, it's ADMIRAL Zhao now." Zhao said.

"That title will not help you against the Avatar and the Arte users. Do not try to fight them. You are no match." Jeong Jeong said but Zhao scoffs.

"I think I can handle a child and an teenager." Zhao said.

"I have never seen such raw power." Jeong Jeong said and then he sees Velvet and Aang arriving.

"Jeong Jeong!" Aang called.

"We'll see. Men, take the Deserter!" Zhao commanded.

The soldiers surround Jeong Jeong but he smirks and wraps himself in a ball of flame and as the flame dissipates Jeong Jeong is no longer here.

"It's a trick! He's run off into the woods! Find him!" Zhao ordered and the soldiers do so while Zhao faces Aang and Velvet. They did not notice a big hellion was behind them and tries to attack them.

"Luzrov Rulay!" The familiar of Sorey said and several blue light hits the hellion, making it fall back. They turned around to see Sorey now dressed in white robes with gold details and some was in the same shade of blue as his eyes and feathers. His hair had become very long and turned blonde in a ponytail, in his hand was a incredible beautiful blue bow.

"You never stop surprising me, Sorey." Velvet said with a smile. "Aang, you take care of Zhao. We'll take care of the hellion." Aang nodded and Velvet got into therion form, once again scaring someone and this time it was Zhao, as the hellion rises up.

Velvet strikes with her demonic arm multiple times in fast haste. She then used Break Soul: Scarlet Edge as Sorey shoots one more time before turning back to normal to strike with his sword as Mikleo used his water Artes as back up. Sorey and Velvet begins to dash and hit with their blades in lightning speed as the others start battle with them, all using their element. Velvet flew in the air and does a down kick sending the hellion in the where she strikes her blade a few times before landing on the ground.

"Lethal Pain!" Velvet called out before hitting the hellion with her arm. They then continue to fight, Sorey used his armatus several times to weaken it for them to strike together.

While Velvet and Sorey are fighting the big hellion, Zhao faces Aang.

"While those two are having fun, let's find out what my old master has taught you." Zhao said.

"You were Jeong Jeong's student?" Aang asked shocked.

"Until I got bored." Zhao answered as he throws a fireball at Aang but Aang dodges and Zhao throws another fireball but Aang dodges again. "I can see he taught you how to duck and run like a coward, but I doubt he showed you what a Firebender is truly capable of!" He throws more fireballs and then shoots an intense fireball but Aang dodges.

"Whoa! Wild shot!" Aang said.

"I'll show you WILD!" Zhao roared as he attacks with more fire.

Aang dodges but sees the side that Zhao just burned.

"No self-control." Aang said and has an idea.

"Stand and fight, Avatar!" Zhao said.

"Oh, we were fighting? I thought you were just getting warmed up!" Aang said.

"I was!" Zhao said angrily and then shoots another fireball but Aang dodges again and Zhao keeps shooting fireballs but they all miss.

"Is that all you got? Man, they'll make ANYONE an admiral these days!" Aang said but Zhao shoots another fireball but Aang Airbends himself on one of the boats. "Ahoy! I'm Admiral Zhao!" Aang said while mooning at Zhao who gets really angry and shoots more fire blasts but Aang keeps dodging. "I don't know why, but I thought you'd be better than Zuko." Aang said and Zhao shoots another fire blast but Aang ducks. "Sloppy. Very sloppy." He jumps away but Zhao gets in front of him.

"Nowhere to run, you little smart-mouth." Zhao said as he shoots more fireballs but Aang dodges again.

"You've lost this battle." Aang said.

"Are you crazy? You haven't even thrown a single blow!" Zhao said.

"No, but you have." Aang said showing all of Zhao's boats burned and sinking because of Zhao's constant fire blasting. "Jeong Jeong said you have no restraint." Aang said as he jumps off the boat and joins Velvet and Sorey, who had defeated and purified the hellion. "Have a nice ride home!"

"Aang, come on!" Sokka said as Appa flies down and Aang and the Arte users get on the bison and he flies off.

As Appa flies off Zhao watches this and lets out a roar of rage. While Appa is flying away Aang looks around the settlement.

"Wait. Where's Jeong Jeong?" Aang asked.

"He left. They all did." Rose answered.

Chey walks back to the now empty settlement and he looks around.

"Hey. Where did everybody go?" Chey asked. "Oh, yeah. Very funny, guys." Chey said sarcastically.

As Appa is still flying off Katara sees a burn on Aang's arm.

"Aang, you're burned. Let me help you." Katara said as she bends water from her pouch and onto her hand she places her hand on Aang's arm and starts healing the arm.

"Wow, that's good water." Aang said.

"I'll say." Velvet said.

"When did you learn to do that." Mikleo asked.

"I guess I always knew." Katara said.

"Oh...well, then thanks for all the first aid over the years. Like when I fell into the greaseberry bramble or that time I had two fishhooks in my thumb." Sokka said.

"Two?" Edna asked shocked.

"He tried to get the first fishhook out with the other fishhook." Katara said.

"Wow. What an idiot." Rose said.

"Oh, and the time that ming snake bit me. Thanks for healing that up. Really helpful." Sokka said.

"Sokka, enough. Katara probably didn't learn that ability back then. Stop acting like a three-year-old." Velvet said.

"Sorry." Sokka said.

"So you can hear the Seraphim now?" Aang asked, seeing she could talk to them.

"Yeah, we think it was because I touched Velvet when healing her, meaning I got some of that special ability." Katara explained.

"It happened to me but I could already hear them since a Seraph took over my body several times." Rose said. "When I meet Sorey, he asked me to take his hand and I could hear them, which made Edna able to scare the hell out of me." Rose shivered of the thought.

"So you believe in ghosts?" Laphicet asked which made Rose embarrassed and the others to laugh.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Mikleo:** Somehow, Velvet has the ability to give the sight to people, probably when someone does a good deed to her or something.

 **Sorey:** You might be right, it's like she was blessed by someone or something.

 **Mikleo:** Do you think it could be Maotelus?

 **Sorey:** Possibly, she and Laphicet are from the time when everyone could see the Seraphim and was occupied with Shepherds. They might even have meet him.

 **Mikleo:** Next time: Northern Air Temple.


	17. Chapter 17

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 17**

 **The Northern Air Temple**

The gang are sitting around a camp site with several other groups and a man starts telling a story.

"So, travelers. The next time you think you hear a strange, large bird talking, take a closer look. It might not be a giant parrot, but a flying man. A member of a secret group of Air Walkers who laugh at gravity and laugh at both those bound to the earth from it." After man tells the story he goes around collecting coins from other travelers.

"Aren't Airbender stories the greatest?" Aang asked.

"Was that even realistic? Is that how it was back then?" Velvet asked.

"Are you kidding? I laugh at gravity all the time. Gravity." Aang said as he chuckles when he said gravity.

"I don't see what's funny about that." Rose said and the storytelling man appears in front of the gang.

"Jingle, jingle." The storytelling man said jingling his hat in front of Sokka asking for money.

"Oh, right." Sokka said as he searches inside his cloak but he finds a bug, a worm, and crumbs. "Sorry..."

"Aww, cheapskates!" The storytelling man complained as he walks away but Aang goes after him while the storytelling man is now kneeling in front of an old man.

"Thanks for the story!" Aang said.

"Yes, it was actually interesting." Sorey said.

"Tell it to the cap." The storytelling man said as he holds out his cap and shakes it causing the hat to let loose a coin and while Aang searches for money, Laphicet picks up the coin.

"Um, you dropped this." Laphicet said as he puts the coin back into the cap.

"Aww, much obliged, little boy." The storytelling man said.

"It means a lot to hear Airbender stories. It must have been a hundred years ago your great grandfather met them." Aang said.

"What are you talking about? Great Grandpappy saw the Air Walkers last week." The storytelling man said pointing at the old man he was kneeling to and the old man makes a sound in his throat and waves at Aang who is shocked.

"You mean there are other Airbenders?" Velvet asked.

"If so, where?" Aang asked excited.

Later on Appa is flying through the sky and Aang is driving him while Velvet, Sorey, Katara, Rose, Laphicet, Sokka and the Seraphim are sitting on Appa's saddle.

"We're almost at the Northern Air Temple. This is where they had the championships for Sky Bison polo." Aang said.

"Do you think we'll really find Airbenders?" Katara asked.

"You want me to be like you or totally honest?" Sokka asked.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Katara asked annoyed with her brother.

"You're an optimist. Same thing, basically." Sokka said but Velvet punches his head again.

"Imbecile! She asked you a question! Next time answer her instead of being an oaf!" Velvet yelled.

"Sorry." Sokka said rubbing his head.

"And being an optimist is better than being a pessimist." Edna said.

"And better than being an idiot." Rose said getting Sokka annoyed.

"Right, you all can talk to the Seraphim and I'm the only one here who can't." Sokka said annoyed.

"Well, I hope some Airbenders survived the war. I look forward to meeting another Airbender." Laphicet said.

"I'm actually interested myself." Mikleo said.

"Hey, guys! Look!" Aang said pointing at a mountain with a structure on top.

It looks identical to the Southern Air Temple with spires reminiscent of a temple's architecture and as Appa keeps flying dark specks which turn out to be people are flying around the sky with plane-like contraptions.

"They really are Airbenders!" Katara said excited but Aang's face falls and scowls.

"No they're not." Aang said crossing his arms with a disappointed look.

"What you mean 'they're not'? They're flying right?" Rose asked.

"Gliding maybe, but not flying. You can tell by the way they move. They're not Airbending and they have no spirit." Aang said bitterly.

"I don't know, Aang. That boy seems pretty spirited." Sorey said pointing at a boy sitting in an odd shaped chair flying above the gang and he's laughing.

The boy starts to fly away while looking back at Aang grinning and Aang grins devilishly, opens his glider, and flies after the boy while other gliders surround the gang who are getting close to the temple and gliders almost hit Appa causing the gang to stumble while Appa is trying to avoid the gliders.

"We should land on solid ground before it finds us." Velvet said.

"Good idea." Sorey said as he lands Appa on the temple courtyard.

Aang is still flying with the boy and having a competition while several children are on the ground cheering on the boy.

"Go, Teo! Show that bald kid how it's done!" One of the children said.

Aang and the boy named Teo are doing loop-de-loops as they fly around the Air Temple and then the two do a spiral downwards.

"Hey, you're pretty good." Teo said.

"Yeah. I know, but I can do more than just fancy gliding." Aang said as he flies closer to the temple and under the bridge and then he jumps off his glider allowing it to fly on its own and runs up along a wall while using his air scooter and then jumps off and gets back on his glider.

"Wow. I didn't think I can do that, but here's a good one." Teo said as he turns on a small canister that's positioned under his glider and smoke begins to stream from his chair and he starts flying around in the sky and later shows an image of Aang's face with an annoyed expression and the crowd cheers. "What do you think?"

"It's great." Aang said annoyed matching the one Teo drew.

The two land besides Aang's friends and after Teo lands and pulls the brakes other children take the glider off the top of his wheel chair and Teo rolls up to Aang.

"Hey, you're a real Airbender. You're the Avatar! That's amazing! I've heard stories about you." Teo said.

"Thanks. I guess." Aang said rubbing his head embarrassed.

"Wow! This chair glider is amazing!" Sokka said examining Teo's chair.

"You think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my dad designed." Teo said as everyone walks into the building.

They enter a room filled with pipes and machinery and Aang looks around with a worried expression and beneath the pipes a mural can be seen even though they were destroyed by the pipes sticking into the walls.

"Wow!" Sokka said looking at machines.

"Yeah. My dad is the mastermind behind this whole place. Everything's powered by hot air." Teo said showing them an elevator like contraption being used. "It even pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift while we're gliding."

"This place is unbelievable." Aang said.

"Yeah. It's great, isn't it?" Teo asked.

"No. I mean, it's just unbelievable." Aang said as he walks away making Teo disappointed.

"Aang used to come here a long time ago. He's just a little shocked it's so...different." Laphicet said.

"So better!" Sokka said but Rose punches him in the gut to make him shut up.

Velvet and Katara walk over to Aang who is looking at a painted wall with pipes going through it.

"This is supposed to be the history of my people." Aang said, Velvet and Katara place their hands on his shoulders.

Aang walks over to a fountain with a sky bison statue on it and he looks at his reflection in dirty green water but the sky bison statue has black smoke coming out of its mouth disgusting Aang.

"I'm sure some parts of the temple are still the same." Katara said.

Later on everyone is walking across a bridge to a large room that looks well kept and has no roof and there are statues of Airbenders meditating.

"It's nice to see that at least one part of the temple that isn't ruined." Aang said but he sees one of the statues being knocked down by a wrecking ball and everyone covers the heads as dust is coming from the statue making them cough and as the dust clears six men are standing where the statue was.

"What the doodle? Don't you people know enough to stay away from construction sites? We have to make room for the bathhouse." One of the six men said and Aang makes an angry look.

"Uh oh." Lailah said.

"Do you know what you did?! You just destroyed something sacred! For a stupid bathhouse!" Aang yelled.

"Well, people around here are starting to stink." The mechanist said waving his hand in front of his face.

"This WHOLE place stinks!" Aang yelled as he uses his Airbending to knock the crane contraption off the building and it lands against the side of the cliff the temple is situated on and it is destroyed. "This is a sacred temple! You can't treat it like this! I've seen it when the monks were here! I know what it's supposed to be like!"

"The monks? But you're twelve." The mechanist said.

"Imbecile!" Velvet yelled but Teo rolls to the mechanist.

"Dad, this is the Avatar. He used to come here a hundred years ago." Teo said.

"What are you doing here? Who said you could come here?!" Aang demanded.

"Hmm, doing here. A long time ago, but not a hundred years, my people became refugees after a terrible flood. My infant son, Teo, was badly injured and his mother..." The mechanist stops for a minute and sniffs. "I needed somewhere to rebuild and I stumbled across this place. I couldn't believe it! Everywhere! Pictures of flying people, but it was empty. No one was home. Then, I came across these fan-like contraptions."

"Our gliders." Aang said.

"Yes! Little, light flying machines. They gave me an idea. Build a new life for my son, in the air! Then everyone will be on equal ground. So to speak. We're just in the process of improving upon what's already here." The mechanist finishes explaining. Rose, Laphicet and Katara wipe their tears while Sokka wipes his tears on Aang's shirt while Velvet and Sorey just nodded. "After all, isn't that what nature does?"

"Nature knows where to stop." Aang said.

"I suppose that's true. Unfortunately, progress has a way of getting away from us." The mechanist said and then looks at a candle. "Look at the time! Come! The pulley system must be oiled before dark!" The mechanist said to the other five men.

"Wait. How can you be able to tell time on that thing?" Sorey asked.

"Indeed. The notches all look the same." Velvet said.

"The candle will tell us. Watch." The mechanist said and the candle pops four times.

"You put spark powder in the candle." Sokka said.

"Four flashes. It's exactly four hours past mid-day or as I like to call it: four o'candle." The mechanist said and Sokka laughs but Velvet and Sorey look at him.

"What? It's funny." Sokka said.

"For you, loser." Velvet said making Sokka frown and crosses his arms.

"If you three like that, wait until you see my finger-safe knife sharpener." The mechanist said as he lifts his left hand revealing three fingers made of wood. "Only took me three tries to get it right." The mechanist said as he takes off three wooden fingers and throws them into Rose's hand.

"I would be disgusted, but not bad." Rose said but Sokka look horrified. "Grow up, fool."

"You two should follow me. I have something to show you." The mechanist said as he leaves and Rose follows but she turns to see Sokka still standing.

"Let's go! I don't have all day!" Rose commanded.

"Yes, ma'am!" Sokka said and followed her.

"Hey, Aang. I wanna show you something." Teo said as he leaves and Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sorey, and Laphicet follow.

Teo, Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sorey and Laphicet are walking inside a building.

"I just can't get over this. There's not a single thing that's the same." Aang said.

"I don't know about that. The temple might be different, but the creatures that live here are probably direct descendants of the ones who lived here a long time ago." Teo said as he picks up a hermit crab and hands one to Velvet.

"I think you're right. They're kind of keepers of the temple's origins." Velvet said as she gives the hermit crab to Aang and it moves around making him smile.

"Thank you for that, Teo." Katara said.

"Besides, there's one part of the temple that hasn't changed at all." Teo said.

"Really?" Aang asked.

"Yeah. C'mon." Teo said.

They arrive at a long hallway and they stop at a door with an Airbending contraption on it.

"Hey, it's just like the one in the other temple!" Katara said.

"Yeah. That door took us to that sanctuary with the Avatar statues." Velvet said.

"Only an Airbender can open this door so inside it's completely untouched. Just the way the monks left it. I've always wondered what it's like in there." Teo said.

"Aang?" Laphicet asked.

"I'm sorry. This is the last part of the temple that's the same as it was. I want it to stay that way." Aang said.

"I understand. I just wanted to let you know that it's there." Teo said.

"Thanks." Aang said.

"I really feel bad for the kid. His home and this temple are different." Zavied said.

"Let's just go." Velvet said and they walk away.

Meanwhile the mechanist, Rose and Sokka are walking down a dark stairway and they are holding lanterns.

"These lanterns are terrible. I can't see!" Sokka said while Rose opens the top of her lantern and sees that it's filled with fireflies and closes it.

"May I ask why there are fireflies being used for light?" Rose asked.

"Fireflies are a non-flammable light source." The mechanist answered as they keep moving until they stop at a wooden door. "Cover your nose and hold your breath." The mechanist said and the three did what he said and he does the same thing and then he opens an eye slot in the door and they all look inside a pitch-black room and Sokka get back.

"Okay...so you brought us all the way down here just to see an empty room?" Sokka asked.

"Wrong. It's filled to the brim with natural gas. Came across it during my first time here. Unfortunately, I was carrying a torch at that time. Nearly blew myself and the whole place even more sky high. Thought my eyebrows would never grow back. Anyway, there's a vital problem that needs solving. From time to time, we have gas leaks and they're nearly impossible to find."

"So you're saying this place is an explosion waiting to happen." Rose said.

"Yes, until I figure out how to locate something I can't see, hear, smell, or touch." The mechanist said.

Meanwhile outside the temple people are flying around the temple while Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sorey, Laphicet and Teo are on the ground.

"The wind will carry you. It supports something inside you. Something even lighter than air and that something takes over when you fly." Teo said while Velvet, Katara, Sorey and Laphicet are holding gliders while standing at the edge of the temple. Katara and Sorey put their gliders down and look up at the people flying.

"I changed my mind." Katara said.

"Yeah. Me too. I think I was born without that something." Sorey said.

"Impossible! Everyone has it." Teo said.

"Spirit." Aang said.

"What?" Teo asked.

"Spirit. That's the something you're talking about." Velvet said.

"Yeah. I suppose you guys are right." Teo said.

"C'mon, guys. Give it a shot." Laphicet said.

"Yeah, guys. Be a man." Zavied said, who's standing with the others beside Teo.

"Please, stop that." Edna said, hitting him with her umbrella.

"Well, I guess we'll have to try." Katara said as she gets her glider and Sorey does the same.

"You guys ready?" Teo asked.

"Yes." Laphicet answered.

"Yeah." Velvet answered.

"No." Katara and Sorey answered at the same time but they all jump off and Katara and Sorey scream.

The four fall downwards but Velvet and Laphicet start to fly forward, then Katara and Sorey fly straight as well making them stop screaming and laugh.

"I can't believe it! I'm flying!" Katara said.

"Yeah! This is AWESOME!" Sorey said.

"See? I told you guys you can do it." Velvet said.

"It's easy once you get the hang of it." Laphicet said as Aang and Momo are flying with him.

"Good job, guys. Just be sure to keep your mouths closed so you don't swallow a bug." Aang said.

"Got i..." Laphicet cuts himself off as he swallows something and he starts coughing.

"That's a bug." Velvet said.

"Teo was right about the air." Sorey said.

"Yeah. All we had to do was trust it and let it carry us." Katara said.

"Even though Teo's not an Airbender, he does have a spirit of one. Right, Aang?" Velvet asked.

"Yeah. You're right." Aang said as he and Velvet land beside Teo on the temple. "I've been thinking. If you want to see what's in that room, I'd be happy to open the door for you."

"That's great!" Teo said.

"Wait!" Katara said as she's still flying.

"How do we land this thing? What if we land over a-ack-ack-ack! Bug! Bug!" Sorey said as he swallowed a bug as Laphicet land beside Aang, Velvet and Teo.

Meanwhile the mechanist, Rose and Sokka are in a workshop and the mechaist is drawing on a large piece of paper while Rose watches him while Sokka look around through shelves and Sokka knocks over various things which are seven scrolls, four pieces of paper, a hard-boiled egg, and a model of a hot air balloon.

"What is wrong with you?! You shouldn't be touching anything!" Rose yelled as she starts picking up items with Sokka and the mechanist helps.

"Don't worry. That hot air balloon experiment's old and that egg was just part of last week's lunch." The mechanist said.

"UGH! Week old egg smell!" Sokka said waving his hand in front of his face.

"Disgusting." Rose said plugging his nose.

"Quick, find that egg!" The mechanist said and they start searching for the egg.

Meanwhile Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sorey, Laphicet and Teo are back at the Airbending room and are back next to the Airebender door.

"I can't believe I'm finally gonna see what's inside." Teo said as Aang bends air into the door contraption flipping three dials and air comes out.

Back at the workshop Sokka and the mechanist are still searching for the egg.

"How can something so small that you can't even see make such a big stink?" Sokka asked.

"Wait! That's it! That's the solution to our problem!" The mechanist said.

"Yes, indeed. If you put a whole mess of rotten eggs in the cellar where the gas seeps up..." Rose stops talking.

"...The gas will mix the smell of rotten eggs!" The mechanist said.

"Then, if there's a leak..." Rose stops talking again.

"...You'll smell rotten eggs! Then, you just follow your nose to the place where the smell is coming from..." The mechanist said.

"And plug up the hole where the gas is escaping!" Rose said.

"You're both geniuses!" Sokka said and just then a bell starts to ring.

"Something's wrong. I need to go." The mechanist said as he starts to go and Rose and Sokka follow him.

Meanwhile after Aang opened the door Aang, Velvet, Katara, Sorey, Laphicet and Teo enter a large room that's filled with Fire Nation weapons and tools and they see a hot air balloon with the Fire Nation insignia on it shocking everyone.

"This is a nightmare." Aang said and the mechanist enters the room with Rose and Sokka.

"You don't understand." The mechanist said.

"You're making weapons for the Fire Nation?" Laphicet asked.

"Why are you making these weapons for the Fire Nation?!" Velvet demanded.

"Explain all this! Now!" Teo demanded and the mechanist sighs.

"It was about a year after we moved here. Fire Nation soldiers found our settlement. You were too young to remember this, Teo. They were going to destroy everything! Burn it to the ground! I pleaded with them, I begged them to spare us! They asked what I had to offer. I offered them...my services." The mechanist explained shocking everyone and Teo is shocked to the core. "You must understand. I did this for you!" The mechanist said but Teo looks away in shame and the mechanist leaves.

The mechanist is back at his workshop placing two eggs with smiley faces in his hot air balloon model along with a candle to make it float and he lets go of the bottom and the model starts to float and while this is happening the door opens and he sees Velvet, Aang and Teo entering the room.

"When are they coming?" Velvet asked.

"Soon." The mechanist answered and he looks at the candle that's popping once. "Very soon."

"You can't give them more weapons." Aang said.

"If I don't give them what they want, they will destroy this place." The mechanist said as his balloon model catches fire and it crashes but he manages to put the fire out.

"How can I be proud of you when your inventions are being used for murder?" Teo asked.

"I need some time to think." The mechanist said but the bell rings. "You need to leave. Go!"

"We're not leaving!" Teo said.

"Then hide! Quickly!" The mechanist said and the three hide behind some inventions while the mechanist pulls a rope that opens a trapdoor and a man which is the war minster of the Fire Nation is lifted into the room.

"You know better than to keep me waiting. Give me what you owe us so we can be on our way." The war minster said but the mechanist looks down. "Well? Is there a problem?"

"No. Right this way." The mechanist said gesturing the door and the war minister was about to head for the door but Aang quickly Airbends the door shut and jumps in front.

"The deal's off!" Aang said.

"The Avatar!" The war minister said in shock.

"Aang, don't get involved in this." The mechanist said.

"If I don't get what I came for, the Fire Nation will burn this place to rubble!" The war minister said.

"Get out of here!" Aang yelled as he bends air at the war minister knocking him down. "You're leaving EMPTY-HANDED!"

"Then the destruction of this temple will be on YOUR head!" The war minister said as he leaves through the trapdoor and Aang slams it shut.

The gang are now talking on a bridge and they are worried.

"This is bad." Teo said.

"REALLY bad!" Sokka said.

"Aang, what are we gonna do?" Katara asked.

"How can we possibly keep them all away?" Velvet asked.

"I'll tell you how. We have something they don't...air power. We control the sky." Aang said.

"You're right. That's something the Fire Nation can't do." Laphicet said. "We can win this fight."

"Then let's get to it." Sokka said.

"I want to help." A voice said and it's the mechanist.

"Good. We'll need it." Aang said.

Everyone is at the mechanist's workshop and the mechanist and Rose are standing behind the desk while having the balloon model, a few plans, and candle with them while everyone else is standing in front of the two.

"We finally got the war balloon working thanks to Rose. This woman's a genius!" The mechanist said.

"So are you." Rose said.

"Why, thank you, ma'am." The mechanist said.

"The problem with the old war balloon was you could get it air-borne, but once it did, it just kept going." Rose said as she places the candle in the model and then pulls a string connected to the model and puts it on the table. "You could put a hole in the top, but then all the hot air would escape. The question is this, how do you keep a lid on hot air?"

"The lid is actually the answer?" Velvet asked.

"Correct! If you control the hot air, you control the war balloon!" Rose said.

"That's pretty smart." Sokka said.

"We also got four kinds of bombs: smoke, slime, fire, and..." Rose stops talking.

"Stink! Never underestimate the power of stink!" The mechanist said.

Later on everyone is outside the temple watching for any sign of the Fire Nation and a girl looks over a ledge.

"They're coming!" The girl said.

"Are we ready?" Teo asked.

"Yeah, but where's Rose with the war balloon?" Sorey asked.

"Guess we'll start without it." Aang said as he gets on Appa while everyone else ready their flying machines for takeoff.

As their gliders fly off into the air they begin their assault while cheers are heard from the ground and Fire Nation troops are climbing the cliff path but they are attacked by various bombs being thrown at them by the flyers and Aang and the other flyers go down through the clouds and gliders fly over the Fire Nation troops and drop bombs below.

"Take them out of the sky! NOW!" A Fire soldier commanded and the Fire soldiers bend fire.

The gliders fly up through the clouds to receive more bombs from Velvet, Katara and Laphicet but hooks fly into the clouds almost hitting Appa and they latch on to the cliff while tanks are scaling the cliffs with the chains of the hooks but Aang get rid of the hooks and some tanks fall but other tanks are closing in to the temple but flyers drop bombs in an attempt to slow the tanks down but tanks reveal Fire soldiers and they start Firebending at the flyers but Velvet, Aang, Sorey and land. Aang unleash air to knock the tanks away but the tanks he attacked flip over to readjust themselves and they continue on. Edna had been able to knock a few down with her Earth Artes while Mikleo Lailah and Zavied did the same but proved to be less effective.

While Velvet, Aang, Sorey and the Seraphim fight against the tanks, Katara and Teo watch this from the sky.

"They're unstoppable!" Katara said but Teo thinks.

"I got it! I remember my dad tinkering with the counterbalancing system. Something to do with water. It'll work." Teo said.

"In that case, can you get me close to one?" Katara asked.

"No problem." Teo said.

While Velvet, Aang, Sorey and the Seraphim keep fighting against the tanks Katara arrives and uses her Waterbending to freeze multiple tanks but more tanks close in but Aang fend off against fire blasts then Appa lands in front and knocks the tanks away and after that happened they all get on him and he flies them to the balcony of the temple but they look down to see an oncoming force from the balcony.

"We're out of bombs!" Teo said.

"Great." Velvet said sarcastically.

"C'mon, Rose. Where's that war balloon?" Sorey asked and then he got his answer as the war balloon appears behind him.

Rose, Sokka, and the mechanist are in the war balloon and it's flying over the tanks and the soldiers who are not attacking.

"Hey, why aren't they shooting at us?" Sokka asked.

"It's the insignia." Rose said pointing at the Fire Nation symbol.

"Indeed! They think we're on their side!" The mechanist said.

"Then I bet they won't see this coming." Sokka said.

"Go for it." Rose said as Sokka slices rope attached to a large bomb.

"Bombs away!" The mechanist said and Sokka drops the bomb at the soldiers and they are being washed away by slime.

Rose then cuts another rope with one of her knifes and she drops it on the soldiers and the tanks, stopping them. Then the three look down seeing soldiers and tanks scaling the cliffs.

"Oh, no! That's the last one!" Sokka said.

"Curse this!" Rose yelled.

"Wait. You two smell that?" The mechanist asked.

"Rotten eggs!" Sokka said.

"Yes! That's where the gas is escaping!" Rose said pointing at a large crevice in the ground below and then she gets an idea while seeing tanks scaling the cliff and Earth Kingdom citizen attempting to knock the hooks away and then Rose starts levering the engine away from the bottom of the balloon in an attempt to get it free.

"Rose, what're you doing?" Sokka asked.

"That's our fuel source." The mechanist said.

"It's the only bomb we've got." Rose said as the balloon's engine drops to the crevice below.

While this is happening the soldiers are advancing on the temple while the others are looking down but then an explosion goes off and the temple is blocked from view by smoke and then after the smoke starts to dissipate there are no more tanks in sight and the gang watch something from the balcony.

"They're retreating!" Aang said and the crowd cheers but they see the balloon falling.

"No good! We're going down!" Rose said.

"Oh, no!" Laphicet said.

"Rose! Sokka!" Katara said as Aang jumps on his glider and flies to them.

While the war balloon is still falling Rose takes Sokka's boomerang and swings it around with a rope attached.

"Get ready!" Rose said as Aang flies toward them.

As Aang is circling the war balloon and Rose throws the boomerang toward Aang and it latches onto his glider and Rose, Sokka, and the mechanist are being pulled out of the balloon and are dragged away while balloon is floating away and later on they return to the temple.

"You know what, I'm really glad you guys live here now." Aang said as he picks up a hermit crab. "I realized, it's like the hermit crab. Maybe you weren't born here, but you found this empty shell and made it your home. Now you protect each other."

"That means a lot, coming from you." Teo said.

"Aang, you were right about the air power." Velvet said.

"Yeah." Sokka said.

"As long as we've got the skies, we'll have the Fire Nation on the run!" Katara said.

"Got that right!" Sorey said and everyone cheers.

"The Fire Nation won't stand a chance now against us." Rose said.

"We'll be more than ready for them." Laphicet said.

Meanwhile in the snowy trees of the forest below the temple the war minister and two more Fire Nation ministers approach the war balloon.

"This defeat is the gateway to many victories." The war minister said as Fire soldier start inflating the war balloon with their Firebending while the war minister smirks.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Laphicet:** I'm glad Aang allowed them live in the temple.

 **Velvet:** Yeah, me too. Also, judging by the cold and Katara and Sokka puts on their warm clothes, we're soon in the Northern Water Tribe.

 **Sorey:** I hope we don't have to worry about the Fire Nation.

 **Velvet:** That reminds me. What did you do that made you get hunted by the Fire Nation?

 **Sorey:** I was actually trying to purify a hellion, that was a Fire Nation soldier, and I did in front of other soldiers which resulted in being chased by them for using Artes.

 **Laphicet:** You really need to get information before doing anything.

 **Velvet:** Next time: The Waterbending Master.


	18. Chapter 18

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 18**

 **The Waterbending Master**

Appa is flying over the water but is losing altitude and his paws are dragging through the water before rising again and while he's still trying to fly the gang are on his saddle bored and tired.

"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka asked and Aang turns to him with an irritated look.

"I have an idea! Why don't we all get on YOUR back and YOU can fly us to the North Pole!" Aang snapped.

"Aang..." Lailah trails off.

"I'd love to. Climb on, everyone. Sokka is ready for takeoff." Sokka said as he's shaking his rear and pointing at his back and Momo get on Sokka's back.

"I wouldn't ride on you even if you knew how to fly." Velvet said making Sokka glare at the daemon angrily.

"Guys, calm down. Please." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. I'm tired too, but can you guys not argue?" Sorey asked.

"I agree. Look, we're all tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight." Katara said.

"And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe." Rose said.

"Yeah. There's nothing here." Sokka said while Appa is now drifting through the water.

"Hopefully we'll might be able to..." Mikleo was cut off by a slushing sound.

The water in front of Appa suddenly rises and freezes into ice spikes and Aang sees this in horror and tries to yank the bison's reins to avoid the obstacle while Appa growls and turns away but as Appa is swerving another ice spike appears and manifests itself on him attaching itself to his leg but his momentum breaks the ice but is thrown off balance and is catapulted away making the gang scream in fright and he lands in the water throwing it up in the air but the water around the bison freezes and he's locked in place.

"What is going on?" Zavied asked.

"Hey, look!" Katara said pointing at boats coming to Appa.

The boats appear to be Water Tribe boats and they surround Appa and the gang prepare to fight but Katara sees what the people are on the boats.

"Waterbenders!" Katara said happily.

"That means we found the Water Tribe!" Laphicet said.

"Sweet!" Sorey said.

Meanwhile in a Fire Navy base in Zhao's Fire Nation harbor Zhao is inside his tent and standing before a map of the four nations.

"They're heading north. The Northern Water Tribe. The Avatar needs to master Waterbending and the Arte users, most importantly the woman and the Shepherd, is with him. They're looking for a teacher for the Avatar." Zhao said.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go get them!" A captain said.

"Patience, Captain Li. This isn't some Earth Kingdom village we can march into. The Water Tribe is a great nation. There's a reason they've survived a hundred years of war. The frozen tundra is treacherous, the landscape itself is an icy fortress. We'll need an massive invasion force." Zhao said.

Meanwhile the Waterbenders are escorting the gang to the Northern Water Tribe and they arrive at a giant icy wall.

"There it is!" Aang said.

"The Northern Water Tribe." Katara said amazed.

"We're finally here." Velvet said.

"It looks amazing." Rose said. "Everything is made of ice."

The portion of the icy wall is lowered allowing them to enter through the gate and canal workers bend water below to transport the gang to the city.

"It is amazing how many Waterbenders live up here." Mikleo said.

"I know." Katara said.

"We'll find a master to teach us no problem." Aang said.

"Can't wait." Katara said.

"Velvet, aren't you going to freeze when wearing clothes like that?" Sokka asked, pointing at her.

"Cold and heat doesn't bother me, that's what happens when you become daemon." Velvet explained. "But you guys need some just in case."

"You're a therion as well, meaning you can't really starve and eat real food." Laphicet said before the Crowe siblings laughed together.

"A therion?" Rose asked. "What's that?"

"It's a type of daemon of their own kind, they're almost like their own people." Velvet explained. "We were only seven therions before I became the only one left since...since what happened. We have the ability to eat or devour our victims in order to consume their malevolence to feed our hunger, gaining the victims abilities that we can use for our own."

"Talking that way, you're a therion." Edna said and Velvet nodded.

"I was the first therion to be born into this world." Velvet said gloomy, thinking about that night. Everyone looks worried over her sudden change and Laphicet closed his eyes in guilt.

The gang are now passing through the city and several citizens see them in amazement and Aang waves at the citizens and while they are still passing Sokka notices a girl passing them on a boat making him blush at this sight.

"This place is beautiful." Katara said.

"Yeah. She is..." Sokka said.

As the gang continue to pass through the city a young man with semi-long dark brown hair and is wearing a dark blue hooded coat and at his side is a polar-dog is walking passed the gang and he turns to see Velvet and he blushes at this sight and Velvet notices this, she waves at him making him blush even more while his polar-dog looks at the young man puzzled.

"I think he likes you." Rose said cheeky as she notices the young man while poking with her elbow at Velvet, who looks away embarrassed.

"I just hope he knows what happens when he gets careless with you." Zavied said, making the therion irritated.

"If you say that again, I throw you in the water." Velvet growled making the wind seraph nervous.

"She's beautiful, isn't she, Zanta?" The young man asked and Zanta still looks at his master puzzled.

Meanwhile it's now nighttime on Zuko's ship that's docked to a port and the crewmen are gathered for music night on the deck of the ship and Lieutenant Jee plays a lute while other members play other instruments or dance.

"Winter, Spring...Summer and Fall...Winter, Spring...Summer and Fall...four seasons...four loves...four seasons...four loves." Iroh sang but then the music stops as Iroh notices Zhao boarding the ship with two solders at his side and everyone but Iroh looks at Zhao surprised.

Meanwhile at the Northern Water Tribe city a feast is being hosted by the chief of the Northern Water Tribe and the gang are being treated as honored guests and drums are being played.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe and they have brought someone with them, someone very special, someone whom many of us believed he disappeared until now...the Avatar! And traveling with him is someone who is also very powerful, the Arte users and the Shepherd!" Chief Arnook announced and the crowd cheers. "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!" Chief Arnook announced revealing the same girl from before.

"Thank you, Father. May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times!" Yue said.

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will preform." Chief Arnook said.  
Pakku and his two students bend significant blobs of water and merge the three blobs into one stream and while they are bending Yue sits next to Sokka.

"Hi, there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe." Sokka introduced.

"Very nice to meet you." Yue said bowing and there was brief silence.

"So...you're a princess? You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a prince myself." Sokka said.

"Please. Prince of what?" Katara asked.

"A lot of things. Do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here." Sokka said.

"Of course. My apologies, 'Prince' Sokka." Katara said.

"So it looks like I'm gonna be town for a while. I'm thinking you and I could do an...activity together?" Sokka offered.

"An activity?" Yue asked amused embarrassing Sokka as he starts stuffing his face.

"Very smooth." Katara said.

"Pathetic." Zavied said.

"Say that yourself." Edna said annoyed before poking him with her umbrella. Lailah and Mikleo chuckled as well did Velvet and Sorey.

"Velvet, there's something I want to ask you." Sorey said making the black haired girl look at him confused.

"Sure, but you might not get an answer." Velvet said in her usual emotionless attitude.

"You said you were the first therion born, does that mean you were forced to become one?" Sorey asked and Velvet nodded. "So who did that to you?" Velvet looks at the Shepherd with hatred and emotional pain.

"I tell you one thing, not all Shepherds in the books are good because they're in the light and the Lords of Calamity are bad because they're in darkness." Velvet said painfully.

Chief Arnook and Aang approach Pakku in front of the plaza fountain.

"Master Pakku, meet your newest student, the Avatar." Chief Arnook said and Aang bows.

"Just because you are destined to save the world, don't expect any special treatment." Pakku said.

"My friend and I can't wait to start training with you after we relaxed for a couple of days." Aang said.

"If you want to relax, I'd suggest visiting a tropical island. If not, I'll see you and your friend at sunrise. Good night." Pakku said as he walks away.

Meanwhile in Zuko's ship Zuko is in his room alone and is leaning against the wall and Iroh enter the ship.

"For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn." Zuko said.

"No. It's about our plans." Iroh said. "Apparently we have a problem." Zhao enters Zuko's room.

"I'm taking your crew." Zhao said.

"What?!" Zuko asked shocked.

"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao said.

"Uncle, is this true?" Zuko asked.

"As much as I hate to admit it, it is." Iroh said. "He's taking everyone...even the cook."

"Sorry. It's a shame you won't be there to watch me capturing the Avatar and the Arte users, Velvet and the Shepherd, but I can't have you getting in my way again." Zhao said and Zuko charges at Zhao but Iroh stops him.

Zhao then sees two swords on the wall and Zhao recognizes the swords in anger as he remembers the masked figure wielding the same swords and Zuko recognizes the danger he's in as Zhao takes one of the swords off the wall.

"I didn't know you were skilled in broadswords, Prince Zuko." Zhao said.

"I'm not. They're antiques. Just decorative." Zuko said.

"General Iroh, have you ever heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh ?" Zhao asked.

"Yes, just rumors." Iroh answered. "I don't think he's real."

"He's real. He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation, but justice will catch up with him someday." Zhao said giving Iroh the sword. "General Iroh, my offer to join my mission still stands...if you change your mind." Zhao said as he leave.

It's now morning in the Northern Water Tribe and Aang, Katara, Velvet, Sorey and Mikleo go to Pakku's training ground.

"I've waited this day my whole life! I'm finally gonna learn from a real Waterbending master!" Katara said excited.

"After all the adventures we had of coming here, it's finally gonna happen." Velvet said.

"So Mikleo, you are going to practice your Artes while they Waterbend?" Sorey asked the water seraph.

"I'm actually going to observe." Mikleo said. "I'm really interested in how they learn and maybe help Aang and Katara later on."

"Also, Mikleo, won't you catch a cold without a jacket?" Aang asked.

"Seraphim have high resistance to cold and heat like Velvet, so we don't really need to worry much." Mikelo explained.

"They actually have better tolerance than me." Velvet pointed out.

"Right." Aang said.

They finally reach the training ground where they see Pakku bending a stream of water.

"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Aang called making Pakku drop the water.

"No, please. Do march right in. I'm not CONCENTRATING or anything." Pakku said annoyed.

"Nice guy so far." Velvet said.

"Uhh...this is my friend, Katara. The one I told you about?" Aang introduced and Pakku looks at the girl.

"I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend is a girl." Pakku said.

"Why does that matter?" Sorey asked.

"Because in our tribe, it's forbidden for women to learn Waterbending." Pakku said making both Velvet and Katara shocked and angry while Sorey and Mikleo are flabbergasted as well.

"What do you mean you won't teach Katara?!" Velvet demanded.

"We didn't travel across the entire world so you can tell us no!" Katara said.

"No." Pakku said.

"There must be other female Waterbenders in your tribe." Katara said.

"Here, the women learn from Yugoda to use their Waterbending to heal. I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student, despite your bad attitude." Pakku said.

"She don't want to heal, she wanna fight!" Sorey said.

"I can see that, but our tribe has customs, rules." Pakku said.

"Your rules stink!" Velvet replied.

"Yeah! They're not fair! If you won't teach Katara, then..." Aang was cut off by Pakku.

"Then what?" Pakku asked.

"Then I won't learn from you!" Aang said walking away.

"Then have fun teaching yourself. I'm sure you'll do a great job." Pakku said sarcastically.

"Wait. He didn't mean that." Katara said as she goes to Aang. "Aang, you can't risk your training for me."

"But..." Aang was cut off by Katara.

"I know, but you still have to learn from Master Pakku, even is he is a big jerk." Katara said, Aang nods and the three leave with Mikleo watching over him.

"Why don't we get started?" Pakku asked as he bends water at Aang.

Meanwhile in another part of the city Sokka sees Yue again and runs after her.

"Princess Yue! Good morning! How about that picnic last night? Your dad sure knows how to throw a party." Sokka said.

"I'm happy you enjoyed yourself." Yue said.

"It wasn't really much fun when you left." Sokka said and they both blush. "So, uh...I was hoping you and I should see each other more." Sokka said.

"Do an activity you mean?" Yue asked.

"Yes...at a place...for some time." Sokka said.

"I'd love to. I'll meet you at that bridge tonight." Yue said pointing at a bridge in front of her.

"Great! I'll see y..." Sokka cuts himself off as he falls into the water without knowing and Yue giggles.

"Sorry." Yue said.

"That's okay! It was worth it. See you tonight." Sokka said.

Meanwhile Zhao is at the Fire Navy base and he's talking to some people.

"I'm very impressed. You all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind for you." Zhao said as he gives the people who turn out to be the pirates the gang encountered before a chest and the pirate captain opens it while the pirate barker takes a coin and bites on it.

"That's some tasty gold." The pirate barker said but the pirate captain takes the coin and puts it back in the chest before closing it.

"What do you need us to do?" The pirate captain asked.

"I believe you're acquainted with Prince Zuko." Zhao said.

Meanwhile back at the Northern Water Tribe Velvet, Sorey, Lailah, Edna, Rose and Laphicet are walking down a different part of the city and Velvet is still upset about Pakku.

"Sis, don't let him get to you like that." Laphicet said. "You're still one of the most powerful person I know."

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up but that guy is such a scum." Velvet said still very angry. "If he was in our time when I made a rampage around our country just to find a way to kill that exorcist that caused everything."

"Katara is still a really good Waterbender, she should be proud about it." Rose said. "She learned most of it by herself."

"But unlike us, they need to master their element probably in order to get their real advantage in battle." Edna explained, having her umbrella up.

"Velvet, who taught you how to fight?" Lailah asked. "Your style is very unique, martial arts with multiple blades and with the addition of your therion ability."

"Velvet is actually self taught." Laphicet answered simply, surprising Rose and Sorey, who's been thinking about the therion's words from last night.

"Don't look surprised. Living in a village without true protection from daemons and had a sick little brother, I had someway to make money as well protect Laphi." Velvet explained. "We also didn't really had faith in the four Empyreans since they've been asleep for a very long time."

"Four? What about the fifth Empyrean, Maotelus?" Sorey questioned. This time was the Crowe siblings turn to look surprised.

"Who's Maotelus?" The two asked at the same time as Velvet bumps into the boy from the day before.

"I'm sorry. I didn't look where I was going." Velvet apologized as she holds out her hand and helps the boy up.

"No problem." The boy said as he shakes her hand. "I'm Kang, Waterbender and Water Tribe warrior." His polar-dog comes to him. "Oh, yeah this is Zanta, my faithful companion." Kang introduced Zanta who walks over to Velvet and licks her face. "That means he likes you already."

"Hi." Velvet greeted as she begins to pet it, suddenly she gets a flashback of a girl her age with light brownish hair in small pigtails on her shoulders, wrapped in yellow ribbons. On her side was two dogs that was probably following her around and another showing the girl dead on the ground. They all notice this as the therion's eyes showed fear and distress.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kang asked, snapping her out.

"Oh, sorry. Zanta just reminded me of a childhood friend I had, she had two dogs herself." Velvet explained sadly.

"You're thinking about Niko?" Laphicet asked and the sister nodded.

"We've just been to Pakku and he's not willing to teach our friend Katara to Waterbend because she's a girl." Sorey said still a little irritated.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that stupid rule in this tribe. I don't know why there's a rule about it. Women have the right to Waterbend as men do. It just makes me sick people thinking that different genders can't do things equally." Kang said.

"Don't worry about it. Hey, I know. Why don't you give us a tour?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. Let's do that. Follow me and I'll start showing around." Kang said as he and Zanta start walking and they follow.

Meanwhile Katara enters a healing hut and she sees an old woman and several girls.

"Uh, hi. Are you Yugoda?" Katara asked the old woman.

"Are you here for the healing lesson?" The old woman named Yugoda asked and Katara looks at the girls.

"I guess I am." Katara answered.

"Welcome. Welcome." Yugoda said.

Meanwhile at Pakku's class Aang is working on bending a stream a of water while Pakku is having his tea.

"You're moving the water around, but you're not feeling the push and pull." Pakku said.

"I'm trying..." Aang said still trying to do the push and pull.

"Maybe that technique is too advanced for you. Try an easier one." Pakku said and Aang slams his water down in frustration.

Meanwhile Kang is still giving Velvet, Sorey and their friends the tour around the city and then he shows them a building and inside is what looks like a training ground with water inside containers and there are various Water Tribe weapons in the room.

"This is my own training ground. I work on my Waterbending and warrior skills here." Kang said.

"This place looks amazing." Rose said.

"Yeah. I always come here to better myself. One day, I wanna be like my father and protect this tribe and everyone that I love." Kang said.

"That's very brave of you. Your father sounds like a good man." Velvet said.

"Yeah." Kang said.

"What happened to your father?" Sorey asked.

"He left this tribe when I was ten-years-old. He said he had to go deal with Fire Nation troops. I believed he would come back one day, but he never returned." Kang explained.

"That's terrible." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. Now Zanta, Yue, and Uncle Arnook are the family I have left. I want to become the strongest Waterbender and Water Tribe warrior of this tribe no matter what." Kang said.

"I'm sorry, Kang." Velvet said.

"Don't worry, I'll manage." Kang said.

Meanwhile at the healing hut the young girls start to leave while Katara stays.

"Thanks for the lesson." Katara said.

"So who's the lucky boy?" Yugoda asked.

"I'm sorry?" Katara asked.

"Your betrothal necklace. You're getting married, aren't you?" Yugoda asked.

"No. I don't think I'm ready for that yet. My grandmother gave my mother this necklace and then my mother passed it down to me." Katara said.

"I recognize that carving! I don't know why I didn't realize sooner; you're the splitting image of Kanna!" Yugoda said.

"How do you know my Gran Gran's name?" Katara asked.

"When I was about your age, I was friends with Kanna. She was born here in the Northern Tribe." Yugoda answered.

"She never told me." Katara said.

"Your grandmother had an arranged marriage with a young Waterbender. He carved that necklace for her." Yugoda said.

"If Gran Gran was engaged, why did she leave?" Katara asked.

"I don't know. That's always been a mystery to me. She left without saying goodbye." Yugoda said.

It's now nighttime again at Zuko's ship.

"Good luck!" A crew member called outside to the ship.

Iroh enter Zuko's room and see Zuko lying on his bed with an obvious angry look on his face.

"The crew wanted us to wish you safe travel." Iroh said.

"Good riddance to those traitors!" Zuko said bitterly.

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your mind." Iroh offered but Zuko doesn't say anything. "Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy." Iroh said as he leave Zuko alone.

As Iroh start having his night walk, the pirates make their way to board Zuko's ship and they bring blasting jelly with them.

"Careful with the blasting jelly!" The pirate barker said as he and the other pirates place the blasting jelly in the ship but the pirate barker accidentally makes a sound.

Zuko hears the noise and he gets off his bed.

"Uncle? What's going on?" Zuko said as he leaves his room.

Zuko is walking around the ship looking for the three and where the noise is coming from but as he looks around he sees the parrot creature who screeches making Zuko shocked and then the fuse of the blasting jelly is lit and causes the ship to explode and while this is happening Iroh hear the explosion.

"Zuko!" Iroh cried as he run to the ship but he was too late as the ship is destroyed. "Zuko..." Iroh closes his eyes in despair.

Meanwhile back at the North Pole Yue is waiting for Sokka at the bridge and Sokka arrives.

"Yue!" Sokka said as he runs to Yue. "Hi, Princess Yue. I made you something. I carved it myself." Sokka said showing Yue a roughly crafted creature.

"It's a bear." Yue said.

"Actually, it's supposed to be a fish. See, it has a fin." Sokka said as he flips the carved creature.

"Oh. Listen, I'm sorry. I should have never asked you to come here." Yue said as she runs away leaving Sokka stunned and he throws his carved fish into the water.

The gang are now in the place they're staying for a while.

"So how's warrior training?" Katara asked but Sokka kicks his bag.

"That bad?" Rose asked.

"No. It's Princess Yue. I don't get it, one minute she wants to go out with me and the next, she's telling me to get lost." Sokka said.

"Sorry, man. Don't know what to tell you." Sorey said.

"So how's Waterbending training?" Sokka asked.

"Master Poophead won't teach Katara because she's a girl." Aang said.

"Why don't you teach them Waterbending, Aang?" Laphicet suggested.

"That's it! Why didn't I think of that?" Katara said.

"Yeah. At night, you can teach Katara whatever moves you learned from Pakku." Mikleo said. "I can help since I'm with you."

"That's not a bad idea. That way, Aang has someone to train with and Katara can learn Waterbending." Velvet said.

"Everyone's happy!" Rose said.

"I'm not happy." Sokka said.

"You're never happy." Velvet said smirking.

"You'll have to be careful where you'll learn to Waterbend." Lailah said.

"Got it. Let's go, Aang." Katara said and she, Aang, and Mikleo leave.

Aang, Katara and Mikleo are now outside and are near water and Aang starts bending water.

"Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating." Aang said as he sends water to Katara who starts bending the water.

"I got it!" Katara said but the water goes up.

"That was amazing, Katara." Aang said.

"That wasn't me." Katara said.

They look up to see Pakku himself as he freezes the water and makes ice crystal dropping them in front of him.

"I was just showing Katara a few moves." Aang said.

"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture." Pakku said.

"I'm sorry. I..." Aang was cut off by Pakku.

"You are no longer welcome as my student." Pakku said as he walks away.

"We're sorry, Aang." Katara said.

"It's not your fault, guys." Aang said.

It's now morning and the gang meet with Chief Arnook, Pakku, and Arnook's family members.

"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?" Arnook asked.

"Yes." Katara answered. "Please."

"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him." Arnook said and Katara look back at Aang.

"Fine." Katara said.

"I'm waiting, little girl." Pakku said.

"NO! There is no way we're apologizing to a sour old man like YOU!" Katara yelled as two pots shatter. "We'll be outside if you're man enough to fight us." Yue gasp while Kang is shocked to hear this and Katara walk away angry.

"I'm sure they didn't mean that." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. I think they did." Sokka said.

"Shut up." Velvet ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Sokka said.

Meanwhile at the Fire Navy base Zhao and Iroh meet each other for some tea.

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko. Just...devastated." Zhao said.

"The Fire Lord will not pleased when he hears who is responsible." Iroh said.

"Do you know who's behind the attack?" Zhao asked.

"Yes. Pirates! We had a run-in with them a while back. They wanted revenge." Iroh said.

"Have you reconsidered my offer?" Zhao asked.

"Yes. I accept. It will be an honor to serve as your general. To the Fire Nation!" Iroh said.

"To victory!" Zhao said.

Meanwhile back at the North Pole Katara head outside looking for Pakku and the others follow.

"Katara, are you sure about this?" Mikleo asked.

"You won't win this fight." Sokka said.

"I know!" Katara said taking off her coat. "And I don't care!"

"You don't have to do this for me. We can find another teacher." Aang said.

"I'm not doing this for you! Someone needs to knock some sense into that old geezer's head!" Katara said and they see Pakku coming down. "Decided to show up?" Katara asked but Pakku walks away. "Aren't you gonna fight?"

"Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong." Pakku said making Katara angry and so she send a water whip and hit Pakku's head making him stop. "Fine. If you want to learn to fight so bad, study closely." Pakku said as he bends a stream of water from nearby pools and sends them at Katara but she dodge and Pakku joins the two streams together encircling himself and Katara in a ring of water. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you." Pakku said.

Katara manage to edge away from the water ring and she redirect the water away making the blast hit Sokka. Pakku makes an ice wall to defend himself but Katara slides up and lands to a nearby post and Pakku melts the ice and directs two water blasts at the girl but Katara direct the blast away.

"You can't knock me down!" Katara said.

"Go, Katara!" Aang cheered.

Katara charge at Pakku who makes another wall of ice but Katara liquefies it allowing to land punches but Pakku dodges them but Katara tries to land blows but Pakku whips water and throws Katara into a pool but she emerges from the pool. Katara makes an ice pillar and starts throwing ice discs but Pakku dodges most of them but an ice disc came close to hitting him in slow-motion and Katara gets back on the ground and she send a stream of water at Pakku but he generates his own stream of water and sends it full force at them but Katara bends the water and breaks it into small pieces and she manages to turn them into water knives and throws them but Pakku dodges them and he bends another stream of water sending Katara several feet away but she breathe heavily and bend two snow pillars down at Pakku creating a dusting mist of snow and it later clears.

"Well, I'm impressed. You're an excellent Waterbender." Pakku said.

"But you still won't teach us, will you?" Katara asked.

"No." Pakku answered.

Katara bends a wave of ice at Pakku but he bends an ice pillar to raise himself and then liquefies the ice pillar and charges water at Katara but she bends it back at Pakku who moves out of the way and freezes the stream of water allowing Pakku to slide across and surges past Katara. Pakku knocks Katara down making her drop her necklace, he lands onto the rim of a pool and bends a tower of water and then freezes the water into several ice daggers and sends them down at Katara and she's now trapped making everyone gasp in horror and Katara struggles to try and break free but to avail and Pakku walks away.

"This fight is over." Pakku said.

"Come back here, I'm not finished yet." Katara exclaimed.

"Yes, you are." Pakku said as he starts to walk away but then he sees the necklace. "This is my necklace..."

"No it's not! It's mine! Give it back!" Katara yelled.

"I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life. For Kanna." Pakku said shocking Katara as ice turns into water, freeing the girl.

"My Gran Gran was supposed to marry YOU?" Katara asked.

Meanwhile back at the Fire Navy base the ships are ready to sail and on board a ship Iroh meet with a soldier.

"Our plan is working perfectly." Iroh said. "Zhao doesn't suspect a thing." The soldier reveals to be Zuko.

"You don't have to do this." Zuko said.

"No nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some backup." Iroh said.

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko said and then a door is being opened.

"Someone's coming." Iroh said. "Stay hidden until we reach the North Pole and the Arte users and the Avatar will be yours. Good luck." Iroh said and they go on their separate ways.

Meanwhile back at the North Pole.

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her." Pakku said.

"But she didn't love you, did she? It was an arranged marriage. Gran Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs to run her life. That's why she left. It must've taken a lot of courage." Katara said. "I can't blame her."

Yue cries and the runs away and Sokka follows her and he finds Yue on the bridge.

"What do you want from me?" Yue asked.

"Nothing. I just want you to know that you're beautiful and I never thought a girl like you would even notice a guy like me." Sokka said.

"You don't understand..." Yue was cut off by Sokka.

"No. That's the thing. I do understand. You're a princess and I'm just a Southern peasant." Sokka said.

"Sokka..." Yue was cut off again by Sokka.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. I'll see you around." Sokka said as he walks away but Yue grabs him and kisses him. "Okay. Now I'm confused. Happy, but confused." Sokka said.

"I do like you a lot, but we can't be together and it's not the reason you think. It's because...I'm engaged." Yue said showing Sokka her betrothal necklace. "I'm so sorry." Yue said as she runs away.

It's morning in Pakku's class and Aang is bending a blob of water into a stream and sends it away.

"Not bad. Not bad. Keep practicing and you'll get it by the time you're my age." Pakku said making Aang annoyed but he turns to see Katara arriving. "What are you doing? It's past sunrise. You're late." Pakku said smiling.

"It's good to see you two." Aang said.

"You too." Katara said.

Meanwhile The Fire Navy fleet are getting ready to sail and Zhao's ship is leading the fleet.

"My fleet is ready. Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe." Zhao ordered and the Fire Navy fleet starts to sail off for the North Pole.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Mikleo:** Is it just me or is Velvet acting strange?

 **Lailah:** We met someone who reminded Velvet of a childhood friend of hers. I talked to Katara whenever we're alone about her past and I heard everyone of their whole village was killed, even her friend.

 **Mikleo:** Laphicet, is it something we have to worry about her therion powers?

 **Laphicet:** Velvet is the therion of hatred and despair as all seven therions have a meaning, since Velvet is the first one to be born she most used to its power but there's a way for her to lose real control.

 **Lailah:** It sounds like you know what it is.

 **Laphicet:** It's a special night where the moon turns into a scarlet red color which strengthens the malevolence of people to become daemons that only appears every three years. It's called 'The Scarlet Night'. There's really big chance that it won't appear as me and Velvet prevented it in our slumber.

 **Mikleo:** Next time: The Siege of the North.


	19. Chapter 19

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 19**

 **The Siege of the North Part 1: Kidnapping**

Katara is in Pakku's sparring circle and she is sparring against a boy and Katara have a look of determination while the boy have a nervous expression. The boy bend a glob of water and freezes it into an ice ball and throw it at Katara but she melt the ice ball and turn it into a wave of water and the girl bend the wave at the boy and Katara freeze the water trapping the boy.

"Nice try, Pupil Hsu. A couple of more years and you might be ready to face a sea sponge." Pakku said as he unfreezes Hsu and the boy fall to the ground. "Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?" Pakku asked looking at his several students sitting on the sidelines and they're all tired and unamused.

"Guess that's a 'no'." Mikleo said.

"They're just scared because they never stood a chance against the might of Katara." Zavied chuckling.

"She's mastering Waterbending very well. I'm impressed." Kang said.

"So am I." Rose said.

"Katara, you have advanced more than any student I've trained." Pakku said.

"That's because she's been training hard during our quest." Velvet said.

"I can see that. You have shown that with fierce determination, passion, and hard work, you can accomplish anything." Pakku said. "Raw talent alone is not enough." Pakku added turning to Aang who is playing with Momo. "Pupil Aang!"

"Yes, Master Pakku?" Aang asked as he stops playing with Momo.

"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figured since you've found the time to play with house pets, you must have already mastered Waterbending." Pakku said.

"I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out." Aang said as he twists around while bending snow around him making a snowman of himself.

"Yeah. Very nice trick. That'll help defeat the Fire Lord." Rose said sarcastically.

"You have to admit it's pretty cool." Sorey said.

"Not really." Kang said while Velvet, Katara, and Pakku both look at the Airbender with disdain and Pakku shakes his head in disappointment while Velvet and Katara are just irritated by Aang's antics.

Meanwhile Sokka and Yue are in a different part of the city and they are walking down a bridge with Sokka walking on the bridge's ledge.

"So they don't have palaces in the Southern Water Tribe?" Yue asked.

"Are you kidding? I grew up on a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub." Sokka said and Yue giggles but she makes a serious face.

"Sokka, this is wrong." Yue said.

"Nothing's wrong. We're just walking." Sokka said.

"I'm engaged. This makes me feel..." Yue stops talking.

"I think I know what you need. You just need to meet my friend, Appa." Sokka said.

Sokka and Yue arrive at the stables where Appa is resting.

"Appa and I go way back, don't we, boy?" Sokka asked and then Appa charges and starts licking Sokka's face much to his dismay. "Ah! Ah! Easy! Down boy! Agh! No! Up!" Sokka said trying to make Appa stop licking him and Yue giggles.

"Looks like you haven't been giving Appa enough attention." Yue said as she keeps giggling and Sokka is still trying to free himself from Appa who keeps licking him.

Sokka and Yue are now on Appa's saddle and Sokka is holding the bison's reins.

"So how does this work?" Yue asked.

"You holding on tight?" Sokka asked and Yue nods. "Yip...yip." Sokka said and Appa takes off.

"Oh...my...goodness! I can't believe you do this everyday." Yue said as Appa is flying over the ocean.

"Yeah. We pretty much live up here." Sokka said.

"Is it always this cold in the sky?" Yue asked.

"Not when you're with someone." Sokka said and Yue blushes.

"It's beautiful up here." Yue said.

"Yeah..." Sokka said also blushing and the two slowly lean to each other but Sokka widens his eyes and he and Yue turn away. "Woo. Yeah! Ahh, good times. Good times." Sokka said and then there's black snowfall. "Look."

"What's happening?" Yue asked as black snow keeps falling.

"Oh no..." Sokka said.

Meanwhile in the city Aang is still playing around by rolling around the snow in a circle pattern laughing and Velvet is watching this annoyed.

"Aang, maybe instead of acting like a little child, you should at least..." Velvet cuts herself off as she sees the black snow falling from the sky.

"What's happening? Why the snow being like this?" Laphicet asked and Aang stops playing and looks at the black snow as well and he has a concerned face.

Sokka and Yue land in the outskirts of the city and Sokka picks up a pile of black snow.

"Soot." Sokka said.

"What?" Yue asked.

"I've seen this before. It happens when my village gets attacked. This is soot mixed with snow." Sokka said.

"But why?" Yue asked.

"It's the Fire Nation. They've closed in on the North Pole and from the looks of this stuff, I'd say there's a lot of them." Sokka said looking at the horizon.

A lead Fire Navy ship is sailing through the water heading for the North Pole and Zhao and Iroh are standing on the deck of the ship.

"This will truly be one for the history books. Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao, who destroyed the last Water Tribe civilization. You're all lucky to watch this." Zhao said.

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral." Iroh said. "History is not always kind to its subjects."

"I suppose you speak from experience. Rest assured, this will be nothing like your failure at Ba Sing Se." Zhao said.

"I hope this doesn't fail...for your sake." Iroh said.

"Tell the captains to prepare for first strike." Zhao said.

Iroh enter the interior of the ship and he confront Zuko, who is still disguised as a Fire Nation soldier.

"We'll be landing soon. Do you have a plan?" Iroh asked.

"I'm working on it, Uncle." Zuko said and they go their separate ways again.

Meanwhile at the Northern Water Tribe the citizens flee to the town hall while two watchmen hit a drum to signal the Fire Nation's approach and Sokka and Yue make their way up the steps but Yue stops.

"What's wrong? We have to go." Sokka said.

"No, Sokka. I can't see you anymore. Not at all." Yue said.

"But we're just friends." Sokka said.

"I wish we could be just friends, but I like you too much and it's too confusing to be around you. I'm marrying someone else." Yue said.

"You don't love him, do you? You don't seem to like him." Sokka said.

"But I do love my people." Yue said.

"You're not marrying them." Sokka said.

"You don't understand. I have duties to my father, my tribe. I have to do this. Goodbye, Sokka." Yue said as she runs up the steps.

Everyone is inside the Chief's Royal Palace.

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe, but they will not vanish from our hearts." Chief Arnook announced. "Now as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

"Count me in!" Sokka said standing up.

"Sokka..." Katara said.

"Be warned, many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task." Chief Arnook said and several Water Tribe men stand up and walk forward.

Arnook paints three red marks on the men's foreheads including Sokka and after he gets his mark Sokka looks back at Yue and then walks away while Yue starts to cry but Kang comforts her.

Aang and Velvet are outside the city and they are looking at the horizon and Chief Arnook joins the two.

"The stillness before battle is unbearable. Such a quiet dread." Chief Arnook said as Katara, Sorey, Rose, Laphicet and the seraphim join in.

"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people. I'm gonna make a difference this time." Aang said.

"You're not alone. We'll help you." Velvet said as Aang rises and holds his staff behind his back.

Aang, Velvet, Sorey, Katara, Laphicet, Rose, the seraphim, Sokka, Kang, and all the Water Tribe warriors are gathered at the wall and they see something distant soaring trough the sky and toward the city and the gang realizes what this this.

"FIREBALL!" Sokka shouted as the fireball collides with the wall of the city sending the gang and the warriors flying back and the wall is damaged.

Another fireball is flying through the air and it hits the bridge within the city.

"Filthy Fire Nation! Aang!" Zavied said.

"Yeah!" Aang said and the two get on Appa. "Yip yip!" Appa flies into the sky flying to the Fire Navy fleet.

"Is everyone okay?" Kang asked the warriors who regather themselves and they nod.

Velvet find Sokka's arm and she pulls him out of the snow.

"Thank you, Velvet. Where's Katara?" Sokka asked and Katara bends the snow to free herself from a snow pile.

"Good. Everyone's okay." Sorey said.

"But look!" Laphicet said pointing at two fireballs flying overhead.

"Lailah!" Sorey called out.

"Right!" The fire seraphim said and started to use a seraphic Arte, she fired fireballs as well which hits the other ones.

"Man, this is annoying. Hope Zavied and Aang do somethin' about it." Rose said.

"They will. I'm sure of it." Velvet said.

Appa is flying through the sky while Aang is guiding him and he and Zavied both look determined and while they're flying toward a Fire Navy ship two fireballs are launched but Appa dodges the fireballs but another fireballs is launched and it goes directly at the two but Aang bend air to direct the fireball away.

"We'll take it from here, boy." Aang said and Appa grunts in response.

The two jump down and Aang uses his glider to fly himself and Zavied to the first ship and as they land Zavied used his pendulums to knock soldiers off their feet, which confused the remaining standing. They go to one of the trebuchet but a soldier comes and tries to slam with his sledgehammer onto the machine nearly striking the two but Aang back flips away onto the top of the trebuchet allowing Zavied to spin his pendulum at the soldier, knocking him down and he gets on the trebuchet to join Aang but two soldiers appear in opposite directions and are carrying sledgehammers. They attack Aang but they both avoid the blows and with them combining Airbending and wind Artes and they collapse the first trebuchet and land on the deck.

Zavied and Aang run to an unoccupied trebuchet which is already loaded with a flaming boulder and Aang sticks a sledgehammer in another launcher's chain but a soldier approaches the two but Zavied took out his pendulums and he attack the soldier but the soldier bends fire but Zavied used an Arte that made chains of light up from the ground, sending the soldier away activating the catapult making it launch a fireball straight into the deck leaving a large hole.

Two operators then chase after the two but Zavied used the same Arte again and knocks them down and while he and Aang arrive at two trebuchets and one is front of Aang while the other is in front of Zavied and the two tangle their chains together but a soldier approaches and slams his foot onto the pedal to activate the catapult but the catapult lunges forward causing the second catapult to collide with the first destroying them both making Zavied and Aang smile at this.

Zavied and Aang go for the next trebuchet but a burly man watches this evilly and as Zavied and Aang prepare to attack the trebuchet with a sledgehammer but then Aang turns around and sees the man attempting to strike him with two sledgehammers that are attached to chains and Aang dodge his blows allowing Zavied to strike at the man but the man moves out of the way and goes for Aang again and he swings his chains around but Aang leans against a beam to avoid the attack but two chains are wrapping around the beam trapping the Airbender but Zavied charge at the man and he strike him allowing Appa to grab the man with his aw and he throws the man overboard while Zavied break Aang free.

"Thanks, Zavied." Aang said.

"No problem. We make a pretty good team together, I might even teach you some Artes sometime." Zavied said and then the ship starts to rumble.

They see giant spikes of ice around the ship and they see dozens of Water Tribe boats and Waterbenders are bending ice pillars to suspend the ship and it's now uprooted and Appa ruins the machinery by sliding down past them and he, Zavied and Aang fly off the ship and they go for the next one but they see an entire Fire Navy fleet shocking Aang.

"You have got to be kidding me." Aang said.

"You think we'll be able to take them all on?" Zavied asked.

"I don't know." Aang said.

Meanwhile Sokka and Kang are with the other Water Tribe warriors in a training room and Chief Arnook arrives.

"Men, you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation Navy. That means you'll be needing one of these uniforms." Chief Arnook said showing a young man already in uniform but Sokka laughs making everyone look at him.

"What's your problem?" The young man asked annoyed.

"Fire Navy uniforms don't look like that." Sokka said.

"Of course they do. These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers." The young man replied irritated.

"When? A hundred years ago?" A voice asked and it's Rose entering the room.

"Eighty-five actually." Kang said.

"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore. The new uniforms are more streamlined." Sokka said.

"How do we know we should trust this guy? Such bold talk for a new recruit." The young man said growling at Sokka who glares back.

"You have the nerve to talk boldly as well, fool." Rose said.

"Who asked you?" The young man asked but Rose gives him a glare making him back off.

"I wouldn't irritated her." Sokka said.

"Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn. He's a capable warrior and I value his input." Chief Arnook said. "Now then, our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officer."

"His name is Zhao. He's an admiral and a very dangerous Firebender. He's leading this invasion of the city." Rose said, remembering Katara explaining the first time they met.

"He's middle-aged, has big sideburns, and has a bigger temper." Sokka added.

"Sokka, Rose, I want both of you to tell Hahn everything you know. He's leading this mission along with Kang." Chief Arnook said.

"Of course, Sir." Rose said bowing respectfully.

"Hahn, show Sokka and Rose your respect. I expect nothing less from my son-in-law." Chief Arnook said as he leaves making Sokka open his mouth in shock when Arnook said son-in-law.

"Uncle, I actually wanted to talk to you about that. Are you sure it's necessary for Yue to marry him? I mean there are..." Kang was cut off by Arnook.

"Forgive me, but the engagement has already happened. Yue and Hahn will have to marry." Chief Arnook said as he leaves.

"Wait. Princess Yue is marrying this GUY?" Sokka asked pointing at Hahn.

"Yeah. What of it?" Hahn asked.

"Nothing. Congratulations." Sokka said upset.

Meanwhile it's now sunset and fireballs are still firing at the city.

"Stop those fireballs!" Pakku commanded and Waterbenders bend a column of water and freeze it catching fireballs.

Zhao and Iroh are watching the siege still going on and Iroh notices the sun setting.

"Admiral, as your military consultant, I must advise you hold your attack." Iroh said. "You do realize that Waterbenders draw their power from the moon and it's nearly full tonight. Wait and continue to attack at daybreak."

"I'm well aware of our moon problem and I'm working on a solution, but for now...daybreak it is." Zhao said as the lead ship drops its anchor and the rest of the ships follow suit and cease the attack.

Yue, Katara, Velvet, Sorey and Laphicet are at a building and they are looking at the horizon.

"They stopped firing." Velvet said.

"Did Zavied and Aang stop them?" Sorey asked and they see Appa flying towards them and Zavied and Aang land, they are both tired.

"You're back." Katara said.

"We can't do it. We just can't." Aang said.

"What happened?" Laphicet asked.

"We might be able to take out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there's just too many for us to handle." Zavied said.

"We can't fight them all." Aang said.

"You guys got to." Sorey said. "We all been trying to defend this place with everything we have." Velvet notices that Yue doesn't seem confused over them talking to Zavied.

"Yue, can I ask you something?" Velvet asked her.

"Yes, of course." Yue said.

"Can you see the seraphim?" The therion asked.

"Yes, I've been able to see them since I was born." Yue explained.

"I asked because every time we talk to our seraphim comrades, they give us weird looks." Velvet said and Yue nodded in understanding.

"You're Arte users, seraphim and the Avatar." Yue said.

"I'm just one kid." Aang said and Katara kneel down to try and comfort him.

"That's not true. You're strong. We'll have to find a way to deal with this problem." Sorey said.

Meanwhile it's now nighttime and inside the lead ship Zuko is in a room preparing a boat by winding up the ropes and Iroh enter.

"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net or else it will squeeze you through the tiniest hole and escape." Iroh said.

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle." Zuko said.

"I'm sorry. I just nag you because well...ever since I lost my son..." Iroh stops talking and starts to cry.

"You don't have to say it, Uncle." Zuko said.

"...I think of you as my own." Iroh said.

"I know. We'll meet again. After I capture the Arte users and the Avatar." Zuko said, the old man hug him and then Zuko gets on the boat.

"Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life." Iroh said.

"I will." Zuko said as he lowers the boat.

"And put your hood up. Keep your ears warm." Iroh said.

"I'll be fine." Zuko said as his boat touches the water.

"I hope so." Iroh said.

Meanwhile at the warrior's base Kang, Sokka, and Hahn are sharpening their axes against grindstones.

"Let me tell you, Sokka. I've courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest and comes with the most perks." Hahn said.

"Perks?! What's that supposed to mean?" Kang asked annoyed.

"I mean, Yue's nice and all, but the points I'll gain with the Chief aren't bad either." Hahn said.

"You unbelievable..." Kang was cut off by Sokka.

"Princess Yue is wasted on a self-absorbed weasel like you!" Sokka said angry.

"Whoa, hang on there. What do YOU care? You're just a rube from the Southern Tribe. What do you know of the political complexities of our life? No offense." Hahn said smirking making Kang shout in anger and he punches Hahn in the face.

"You're just a jerk without a soul! No offense!" Kang yelled.

"Why you...!" Hahn growled as he charges at Kang and the two start fighting.

"Hey! Get off of him!" Sokka yelled as he joins the fight until Rose breaks them up.

"Enough! All of you!" Rose said and Chief Arnook arrives.

"Kang, Sokka, you're both off the mission." Chief Arnook said shocking the two.

"Alright. Fall in, men. Everybody do what I say and we'll take out this Admiral Cho in no time." Hahn said as he and the other warriors walk away.

"It's Admiral ZHAO!" Sokka corrected annoyed.

Meanwhile Zuko is rowing past outside on the water going through the path of ice spikes and when a Water Tribe guard looks over the horizon he sees nothing and keeps walking while Zuko continues to paddle toward the wall and he pulls up his canoe onto the ice and while he's looking around he sees a group of turtle-seals resting by a hole in the ice and one of the turtle-seals plunges head first into the water and Zuko approaches the hole.

"Where are they going?" Zuko asked as he looks at the water showing his reflection. "They're coming up for air somewhere." Zuko said as he pulls down the mask covering his mouth and nose and inhales deeply and then he plunges into the water.

Meanwhile Velvet, Aang, Katara, Sorey, Laphicet and Yue are still at the balcony of the building and they look at the moon.

"Legends say the moon was the first Waterbender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves." Yue said.

"I've always noticed my Waterbending is stronger at night." Katara said.

"The same happened to Mikleo's Artes when we got here." Sorey said. "Maybe it's connected to something about the moon as well."

"Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon. Our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance." Yue said and Aang gets an idea.

"The spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!" Aang said.

"How can you do that?" Yue asked.

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World. Aang can talk to them." Katara said.

"And maybe they'll give Aang the wisdom he needs to win this fight." Velvet said.

"Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang said and Katara, Yue, and Laphicet look at him oddly while Velvet looks at him in irritation while Sorey just shakes his head. "...Or wisdom. That works too."

"But there's one problem. Last time you got into the Spirit World by accident." Laphicet said. "In order to save me and the villagers."

"How're ya gonna get there this time?" Sorey asked.

"I have an idea. Follow me." Yue said as she leaves and they follow her.

They walk down the palace and Yue arrives at a wooden door.

"So this will get me to the Spirit World?" Aang asked and Yue giggles.

"No. You'll have to get there on your own, but I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole." Yue said as she opens the door.

Everyone enters through the door and they're now inside a small verdant oasis with a waterfall and they look at the oasis with amazement and Aang jumps on the ground and rolls around.

"I never thought I'd miss grass this much!" Aang said.

"It's warm in here. How is that possible?" Katara asked.

"It's the center of all the spiritual energy in our land." Yue said as she takes off her coat and Katara does the same thing.

There are two fish swimming around and one is black while the other is white and Momo sees them. He was about to stick his hand into the water but stopped when he saw Velvet, Laphicet, Katara and Yue's looks of irritation making him fly away.

"You're right, Yue. I can feel...something. It's so tranquil." Aang said as he gets into a meditation position. Laphicet sits down by the small spring, feeling the spiritual energy.

"You're not the only one, Aang." Laphicet said and Velvet got down to him.

"That's right, you could already hear the malakhim before what happened to us." Velvet said calmly. "You can feel this much better than any of us, except for Aang." Sorey looks at them in question over what they really have been through.

Meanwhile Zuko emerges from the water through another hole in the ice and he lies on his back on the ice to catch his breath and he rolls over to his side and starts shivering but he breathes fire to warm himself making turtle-seals bark.

"Be quiet!" Zuko yelled and the turtle-seals quiet down and Zuko walks past them while pushing aside their heads and they bark again.

Zuko then makes his way through another opening where water is pouring out and so Zuko bores his foot into the wall and tries to steady himself and make his way through the channel of water.

Meanwhile Sokka and Kang are in the warrior's base and Sokka sharpening his boomerang while Kang is sharpening his sword.

"Is something wrong?" A voice asked and it's Chief Arnook again.

"Oh, no, Uncle. Hahn's out on that top-secret mission while I'm sharpening my sword while Sokka is sharpening his boomerang." Kang said with sarcasm in his voice.

"Yeah. Everything's fine." Sokka said also being sarcastic.

"Listen to me. I took both of you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a new task in mind for you both." Chief Arnook said.

"What, scrub the barracks?" Sokka asked.

"I've already entrusted Kang for this task and I would like you, Sokka to help Kang protect my daughter, Princess Yue." Chief Arnook said.

"Oh...um, yeah. Sure. I can do that." Sokka said.

"It shouldn't be too hard since Yue is like a sister to me." Kang said.

Meanwhile Zuko continues to make his way through the channel of water and he finally exits from the channel and floats to the surface of the water and emerges from the surface while inhaling deeply several times and he starts to duck his head under the water looking around the area and then finds another channel and so he swims toward the channel and upward and tries to resurface but the surface of the water is frozen into an ice patch and he tries to break trough but to avail and so he heats his hands and uses Firebending to melt a hole in the ice and after it's melted Zuko emerges and catches his breath again and he finds himself in a tunnel way in the city.

Meanwhile at the oasis Aang is meditating and everyone is watching him, Velvet and Laphicet is sitting by the koi fishes.

"Why is he sitting like that?" Yue asked.

"He's meditating. He's trying to cross over into the Spirit World." Katara said.

"It should take some concentration." Velvet said.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Yue asked.

"How about some quiet? Come on, guys. I can hear every word you're saying." Aang said.

"Just meditate!" Laphicet said and Aang sighs and meditates again.

The two koi fish are still circling each other and Aang is staring at the fish and the fish morph into an image of a yin-yang symbol and then Aang's eyes and tattoos glow.

"Is he okay?" Yue asked.

"He's crossing over to the Spirit World. He'll be fine as long as he don't move his body." Katara said.

"I'm guessing that's his way back to the physical world?" Sorey asked and Katara nods.

"Should we get some help?" Laphicet asked.

"He's fine, Laphi. We're his friends. I know what he's doing." Velvet said, standing up. "Maybe me and Sorey should go out and stay watch by the entrance, just in case."

"She's right. All we have to do is just protect him." Katara said. "Do that you two. Me and Laphicet takes care of Aang." The two grown ups leaves and Laphicet looks at the koi fish again.

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?" A voice asked mockingly and they know whose voice it belongs to.

"No." Laphicet and Katara said at the same time.

"Yes." The person reveals to be none other than Zuko and Katara get ready to fight. "Hand them over now and I won't hurt any of you."

"Yue, run!" Laphicet said as he stands up and Yue runs.

Zuko kicks up his leg and unleashes a fire blast but Katara bend water to shield her and Laphicet from Zuko's attack allowing Laphicet to use an ice Arte at Zuko who gets rid of it by Firebending but Laphicet uses a fire one to get Zuko, who dodges and is about to bend another fire blast but Katara draw water from the pond and sends a stream of water at Zuko knocking him back several feet and knocking him down but Zuko gets up and unleashes a fire wave but Laphicet blocked the fire allowing Katara to bend water from the pond and shoot water while Laphicet used his fire based Artes and they get Zuko knocking him down again.

"I see you two learned new tricks, but I didn't come this far to lose to any of you." Zuko said as he bends more fire but Laphicet blocked again allowing Katara to bend a powerful jet of water.

Zuko attempts to steady himself from Katara's attack allowing Laphicet to use his ice Artes to freeze Zuko's feet and then Laphicet blasts Zuko in the face knocking him back but he backs allowing Katara to bend a water whip and tries to whip Zuko but he moves out of the way and tries to swipe at Katara water whips Zuko again while Laphicet used an earth Arte but Zuko unleashes a flurry of fireballs. Laphicet uses a wind Arte to send them away and then he uses another one to blow Zuko away into the pond allowing Katara to raise water around Zuko and encircle him and then Katara wave around rapidly forming a ball of water around Zuko and Katara freeze the water solid imprisoning Zuko.

"You filthy peasants. You found a master, haven't you?" Zuko asked as the ice starts glowing orange with heat and the ground rumbles until the ice breaks.

"Just give up. You know how this fight'll end." Laphicet said.

"I'm not finished yet." Zuko said as he bends repeated flames at the gang but Katara bend another water shield allowing Laphicet to shoot four fireballs but Zuko manages to slip away and is about to grab Aang's collar.

"NO!" Laphicet shouted as he fires a water blast at Zuko sending him to another wall.

Katara bend a large wave of water and sends it to get Zuko and the wave of water sends Zuko to the side of the cliff and the two freeze the water encasing him in ice again.

"Stay where you are." Katara said.

"You lose. Now leave us alone." Laphicet said.

Meanwhile Pakku sees the sun coming up and Zhao sees this as well.

"It's daybreak at last. Let's write history." Zhao said.

Back at the Spirit Oasis rays of sunlight shine on Zuko who remains imprisoned in the ice and he feels the heat surging in him and he breathes steam from his nose melting the ice quickly and he lands the ground and fires a blast at Katara and Laphicet who notice this. Katara try to bend another water shield but it was too late and the blast sends Katara to the gate knocking her out and Zuko now has Aang.

"You rise with the moon...I rise with the sun." Zuko said.

"Let them go!" Laphicet shouted in anger as he charges at Zuko but Zuko delivers a punch at Laphicet's gut making him fall to the ground. The blonde boy grunts in pain as he glares at Zuko. "When Velvet and Sorey...see this...you will regret it..."

"Useless. I expected better you two." Zuko said as he takes Aang. Laphicet used his healing Artes on himself but he didn't have enough mana to completely get rid of the pain to follow the banished prince.

 _"Laphicet Crowe..."_ A voice said to him. Laphicet looks at the small pond and drags himself there to see the koi fishes glow.

"Yes, that's me." Laphicet said nervous.

 _"We're the spirits of Ocean and Moon. We're called by many names but just a few know of our physical form."_ The white koi fish glows as to mark it is it who talked to him.

 _"You're the first in many years to be able to speak with us."_ The black told him. _"We are worried that something horrible will happen."_

"What do you mean?" Laphicet asked.

 _"The Lord of Calamity will be rampaging this place, you need to stop it from happening."_ The white koi fish said and Laphicet gets shocked.

"You mean the mana will overflow from the earthpulses and make the moon-!" Laphicet said as he cuts himself off, now knowing who they meant.

 _"Yes, ever since your awakening we've been taking the task to prevent it. Your sister may been created that night but she can't be immune of its influence."_ The black colored spirit explained. _"Now outside of the borders, the Fire Nation may be stopped but they all will be in danger."_ Laphicet looks up at the sky with worry.

Meanwhile Fire Navy ships break through the city wall and their bows open while crumbling the wall allowing soldiers to rush in with spears in their hands.

"The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable, but their city will fall toady." Zhao said.

Back at the Spirit Oasis Katara opens her eyes and regains consciousness, she sees Laphicet healing her with his Artes and the boy smiles as he stops. Katara realizes that Aang is gone and she tries to search for him desperately but he's not there.

"Aang!" Katara said.

"He took him, Katara." Laphicet explained guilty. "I tried to stop him but I wasn't strong enough." The boy cries and Katara got down to hug him.

"You did your best." Katara comforted him and then Velvet, Sorey, Sokka, Kang and Yue arrive on Appa.

"Laphi!" Velvet exclaimed and hurried to her little brother to calm him down. "Laphi, what happened?"

"Where's Zuko?" Sorey asked as the seraphim appeared as well.

"He took Aang!" Laphicet cried as Velvet hugs him closer.

"He took Aang. He took them right from under us." Katara answered dismayed.

"But where could they have gone?" Edna asked worried.

Meanwhile Zuko is walking through a blizzard while still taking Aang and they disappear in crazy snowfall.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Sorey:** (watches Velvet comforting the crying Laphicet) To think Laphicet blames himself for Aang's kidnapping.

 **Rose:** He tried his best at least but Zuko got the better of him. I hope Velvet can calm him down.

 **Lailah:** Now that I think about it, the name 'Laphicet' means 'one who lives'.

 **Rose:** Velvet did say Laphicet was sick before the events that made them who they are today.

 **Lailah:** Laphicet had one of the three deadly diseases of their timeline. The one he had was called the 'Twelve Year Old Sickness', which is a disease that kill the bearer by a very high fever when they turn twelve.

 **Sorey:** No wonder she taught herself how to fight, just to take care of her brother before he dies.

 **Rose:** She probably tried to find a cure for it as well, if there was one.

 **Lailah:** Katara told me that he bought her a comb which she use all the time, since she broke her old one. That comb is very special to her.

 **Sorey:** Next time: The Siege of the North Part 2: The Scarlet Night.


	20. Chapter 20

**Book 1: Water**

 **Chapter 20**

 **The Siege of the North Part 2: The Scarlet Night**

The siege of the Northern Water Tribe continues with fireballs striking various locations of the city and while the siege is still going on Velvet, Sorey, Katara, Laphicet, Sokka, Yue, Kang, Rose and the seraphim are in the Spirit Oasis and Katara is kneeling down with a downcast look together with Velvet still hugging a sad Laphicet by the small pond.

"I can't believe I lost them." Katara said sorrowfully.

"Katara, you did everything you could to protect him." Velvet said.

"Now we need to do everything we can to get him back." Rose said.

"They're right. Zuko couldn't have gone too far. We'll find him. Aang will be okay." Sokka said.

"Okay." Katara said and they see Momo, Velvet and Laphicet staying on the ground.

"You guys should go on ahead. We'll be okay here." Laphicet said.

"Sounds good, you need some time alone. You guys stay here in case Aang come back." Sorey said as he mounts on Appa just like everyone else has.

"Be careful out there." Velvet said.

"We will." Edna said.

"Yip yip." Katara said and Appa takes off.

Meanwhile Zuko is still plodding through the snow in the frozen tundra while his face is covered to protect himself from the cold and Aang who is unconscious while his tattoos are still glowing is on his back.

Meanwhile Aang is in the Spirit World sitting in a meditating position on a small wooden platform in an unknown location which happens to be a mystical swamp dotted with trees and he stands up and starts exploring and while he's looking around he finds a figure sitting beneath a wooden entryway and the figure is uttering 'ohm' and Aang walks up to the figure which happens to be a baboon like creature and Aang is standing in front of him.

"Hello. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need to find the Ocean and the Moon Spirits." Aang said.

"Go away." The baboon spirit said and he opens one eye and sees that Aang is not leaving. "You're still here."

"Yes. I nee..." Aang was cut off by the baboon spirit's louder 'ohm' trying to distract himself.

Just then a firefly appears.

"Perhaps this thing will guide you. Chase it." The baboon spirit said and Aang goes after the firefly and the baboon spirit opens one eye again to confirm Aang's departure and the baboon spirit shakes his head and sighs in relief. "Finally."

Aang is chasing the firefly through the swamp and goes up a tree, leaps up, and manages to grasp hold of it and then he lands on a tree branch which disappears causing him to fall and he lands on water and the firefly escapes Aang grip and flies away.

"Come back!" Aang said trying to reach it but to avail but he stands up and then he looks down at the water and sees Roku appearing as a reflection.

"Hello, Aang." Roku said.

"Roku!" Aang cheered.

Meanwhile Zuko is still moving through the icy tundra and while he's moving he steps on ice that begins to crack beneath his feet making his eyes widen in shock and the ice starts to splinter making him start running through the snow but the impact of the ice caving in causes him to lose balance and he is thrown a several feet away and lands roughly in the snow losing his grip on Aang and he kicks up a cloud of snow and when it dissipated the three of them are lying in the snow but Zuko raises his head and looks at the aftermath of the ice caving in showing the ground severely disrupted and then Zuko sees a cave in the distance.

"Shelter." Zuko said as he drags Aang into the cave and he ties the Airbender up before sitting down.

Meanwhile Aang is still in the Spirit World talking to Roku.

"Roku, the Water Tribe is under attack. I need to find the Ocean and the Moon Spirits." Aang said and Roku rises out of the water and is now in front of the Airbender.

"The Ocean and the Moon are ancient spirits. They crossed over from the Spirit World to the mortal world very near the beginning. There's only one spirit I know of who is old enough to remember." Roku said.

"Who?" Aang asked.

"The spirit's name is Koh, but he is very dangerous. They call him the Face Stealer. When you speak to him, you must not show emotion at all. Not the slightest expression or else...he will steal your face." Roku warned making Aang horrified by the information but he calmly nods understanding Roku's warning.

Meanwhile Katara, Sorey, Sokka, Yue, Kang and the seraphim arrive at where the ice ground broke earlier and they keep searching through the tundra.

In the cave, Zuko is keeping himself warm with Breath of Fire.

"I finally have you, but I can't get you home because of this blizzard." Zuko said as he stands up and looks at the outside of the cave. "When I bring you there, we'll capture those Arte users." Aang doesn't answer. "Hmph. There's always something, isn't there? Not that you would understand. You'll like my sister. Everything always comes easy for her. She's a Firebending prodigy and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born." Once again, he doesn't get an answer. "I don't need luck though. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."

Meanwhile back at the invasion the Fire Nation has breached part of the wall while Zhao and Iroh are still on the deck of the lead ship.

"I don't need to remind you we have a time limit. If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises, they will be undefeatable." Iroh said.

"I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor." Zhao said shocking Iroh.

"Remove the moon? How?" Iroh asked concerned but just then a soldier appears behind them and it's Hahn.

"Admiral Choi! Prepare to meet your fate!" Hahn said as he charges at Zhao who tosses him aside while he's still screaming he lands in the water while Iroh shakes his head in disappointment.

"As I was saying, years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret: the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form." Zhao said.

"What?!" Iroh asked shocked.

"I was a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom. I discovered a hidden library and it was underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words 'moon' and 'ocean'. I knew then that these spirits could be found and killed. It's my destiny to do so." Zhao explained.

"Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!" Iroh said.

"Yes, yes. I know you fear the spirits and respect the seraphim, Iroh. I also heard rumors about your journey into the Spirit World. The Ocean and Moon Spirits gave up their immortality to become part of our world. Now they will face the consequences." Zhao said.

Meanwhile back at the Spirit World Aang finds a giant tree and sees the cave entrance of Koh so he starts taking a step forward while hearing creepy noises but he notices that the noise wasn't coming from the cave but from a monkey on the left side and Aang sighs in relief.

"You're just a curly tailed blue nose." Aang said but when the monkey turns to face Aang it doesn't have a face startling him but he clams down down and takes a deep breath. "Show no fear. Show no emotion at all." Aang said with his voices combined with Roku's and he enters the cave. "Hello? I'm looking for 'Koh'." Aang said and then roots on the ceiling starts to move and Aang senses the movement but sees nothing and so he keeps moving but behind him a white clown like face appears and smiles.

As Aang is exploring the cave with an emotionless face a huge centipede like body arcs around Aang and appears in front of his face.

"Welcome!" Koh said as he circles around Aang.

"Thank you." Aang said with no emotion and bows while his hands are clasped, trying to be like Velvet.

"My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time." Koh said as he's hanging from the ceiling.

"You know me?" Aang asked still emotionless.

"Oh, how can I forget you?" Koh asked as he switches to a new face that shows an angry middle-aged man with a mustache. "One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! Nearly eight or nine years ago."

"I didn't know that. Why did he or I tried to kill you?" Aang asked.

"Oh, it was something about stealing the face of someone you loved." Koh answered as he switches to a face of a scared and sad woman and then he switches to a new face of a baboon and laughs. "Of course that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now." Koh said as he gets behind Aang. "You've come to me...with a new face." Koh whispered in the Airbender's ear and he takes a deep breath.

While Aang is taking a deep breath his body is breathing.

"Looks like we'll be here a while." Zuko said.

Meanwhile Appa is flying through the blizzard.

"Don't worry. Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather." Yue said.

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard. I'm worried they won't." Katara said.

"They're not gonna die in the blizzard." Mikleo said.

"If we know anything, it's that Zuko never gives up." Sorey said.

"They'll survive. We'll find them." Kang said.

Back at the Spirit World in Koh's cave the Face Stealer is circling around Aang who remains emotionless and Koh's face is now an owl.

"It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection. So...how may I help you?" Koh asked.

"I need to find the Moon and the Ocean." Aang answered.

"Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. That has been the nature of their relationship for all time." Koh said.

"Please help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help." Aang said and Koh changes his face to an old man.

"You think you need their help? Actually, it's quite the other way around..." Koh then changes his face to a blue ogre like face and charges at Aang. "Someone is going to kill them!"

"What do you mean? How can I find them and protect them?" Aang asked and Koh switches back to the clown like face.

"You've already met them, actually. Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other. Push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang." Koh said and Aang has a flashback of the white and black fish circling each other in the pond and the vision he had of them turning into the yin-yang symbol before he entered the Spirit World and realizes.

"The koi fish!" Aang said and Koh charges at Aang who is emotionless again. "I must be going now. Thank you." Aang said as he leaves.

"We'll meet again." Koh said as he disappears in darkness.

Aang leaves the cave and he finds Roku's image on the ground.

"The spirits are in trouble. I need to get back to the physical world." Aang said.

"A friend is here to guide you back." Roku said and Aang turns to see a panda.

"Hei Bai!" Aang said excited and Hei Bai groans in response and Aang gets on and Hei Bai starts to bolt.

Meanwhile fireballs are attacking the city and Water Tribe members are fleeing as tanks destroy a totem pole but Water Tribe members try to stop the tank and the moon is in the sky and on a bridge a Waterbender is facing two Fire soldiers and the Waterbender drops down to make the bridge fall taking the Fire soldiers with it while another Waterbender submerges a tank in snow and ice around it while other Waterbenders attack Fire soldiers with ice shards but the Fire solders shield themselves and Pakku freezes and takes down eight Fire soldiers but a Fire soldier bends a fire blast but Pakku dodges but tanks and soldiers surround him but Pakku unleashes a wave of water and slices tank wheels and freezes the soldiers in ice and then Pakku uses water to raise himself in the air to avoid being attacked by Firebenders and Pakku unleashes a water cyclone as a wave to wash the soldiers away and during the fight Zhao and two soldiers are riding on komodo-rhinos and Zhao is holding a map.

"We'll be following this map to a very special location. When we get there, we're going fishing." Zhao said smirking.

Back at the Spirit World Hai Bai takes Aang back to his starting location.

"This is where I came in, but how do I get back?" Aang asked and Hei Bai stands on his hind legs and sends a beam of energy at Aang who disappears from the Spirit World.

"Good riddance." The baboon spirit said opening his eyes but Hei Bai assumes his monster form and lets out an intense beam from his mouth sending the baboon spirit away and then Hei Bai returns to his panda form.

Aang is now back at the physical world and he sees Velvet, Laphicet and Momo.

"Momo! Velvet! Laphicet!" Aang said.

"I wonder how they're doing." Laphicet said.

"They will be back." Velvet said and they hear the battle outside, making the two stand up. "Laphi, you stay here in case they come back."

"No, I'm coming with you!" Laphicet exclaimed and the sister smiled before they both ran away.

"What are you guys talking about? I'm right here." Aang said but then he realizes. "Oh, no. Where's my body?" Aang asked and then energy surrounds him and he flies into the air.

Aang is flying through the Water Tribe city and then the tundra and while Aang is flying through the tundra Katara notices and she sees Aang flying toward the cave.

"Katara, what's wrong?" Lailah asked.

"I think I just saw Aang. Yip yip!" Katara said and Appa flies to where Aang is going.

Aang enters the cave and he reunites with his body making him wake up, he finds himself restraint and he sees Zuko.

"Welcome back." Zuko said.

"Good to be back." Aang replied as he Airbends Zuko away to a wall while also propelling himself out of the cave. "I need to get out of here." He start moving but Zuko catches on to him.

"That won't be enough to escape." Zuko said.

"Appa!" Aang cheered as Appa lands and Katara gets off.

"Here for a rematch?" Zuko asked as he Firebends at Katara but she deflects them with snow.

"Trust me, Zuko. This won't be much of a match." Katara said as she Waterbends to lift Zuko up and then plummets him down to the ground knocking him out.

Sokka and Rose are untying Aang.

"There. You should be okay." Rose said.

"This is some quality rope." Sokka said.

"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!" Aang said.

"Okay, then. Let's go." Rose said and they get on Appa.

"Wait. We can't leave him here." Aang said.

"Sure we can. Let's go." Edna said.

"No. If we leave him, he'll die." Aang said he carries Zuko who is still unconscious and then gets back on Appa.

"Oh, yeah. That makes perfect sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us." Sokka said sarcastically.

"As much as I hate Zuko, I think bringing him with us is a good idea." Sorey said.

"Yip yip." Katara told Appa and he takes off.

Meanwhile Tui and La are still circling each other in the pond but then a hand grabs Tui from the lake and it's placed in a sack and it's Zhao who took it and then the moon starts going red along with everything else.

As the moon and everything turned red Pakku and the other Waterbenders lose their Waterbending allowing the Fire soldiers to attack and while Appa is flying through the red sky.

Meanwhile, Laphicet sensed something and hurried back to the oasis while Velvet, who was fighting some Fire soldiers, just stares at the moon in fear as her therion arm was out. Suddenly, she feels massive pain in her head, she hold her head with her normal hand and screams in pain. The Fire Nation soldiers tries to attack but they all was devoured and Velvet is no longer in pain. Her bangs cover one of her eyes and the other had turned red and gives out a dangerous vibe as the aura comes back around her body. Appa groans and then Yue feels a little pain in her head.

"What's wrong?" Sokka said.

"Oh, no..." Kang said.

"I feel faint." Yue said.

"I feel it too. The Moon Spirit is in trouble." Aang said.

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life." Yue said.

"What do you mean?" Mikleo asked.

"When I was born, I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I were asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my parents I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white. I then opened my eyes and began to cry and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue...for the moon." Yue explained.

"You knew about this too, right, Kang?" Rose asked.

"My father told me about Yue's birth. I wasn't like her when I was born too." Kang said. They all except Sokka and Kang noticed Zavied was looking at the moon.

"I never thought that the moon would become like this again." Zavied said. "It's been a millennia since there's been a Scarlet Night." The group was shocked over this and looks worried at the moon.

"If the moon spirit disappears, the Scarlet Night will be enternal and hellions will appear faster than before." Edna explained. "That even means Velvet."

"Then we have to get back to the oasis, now!" Sorey exclaimed suddenly.

Back at the oasis Zhao is holding the sack with Tui in it.

"I am...a legend! The Fire Nation will, for generations, tell stories about the great Zhao, who darkened the moon. They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! Zhao the Invincible!" Zhao said. Momo charges at Zhao and attacks him. "Get it off me! Get it off me!" Momo attack until he fly to the gang who have arrived.

Zhao's soldiers prepare to attack while the gang get into fighting positions.

"Don't bother!" Zhao threatened as he lifts the sack ready to kill Tui making the others stop.

"Zhao, don't!" Aang said.

"It's my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe." Zhao said.

"Stop!" The voice of Laphicet yelled as he ran to them. "If you destroy the moon spirit, we all will be in much more danger than you can imagine!"

"Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." Aang said.

"They're right, Zhao." A voice said and it's Iroh.

"General Iroh. Why am I not suddenly surprised to discover your treachery?" Zhao asked.

"I'm not a traitor, Zhao. The Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on it. What you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you ten-fold! Let it go now!" Iroh demanded and Zhao does in fact releases Tui into the pond.

Everyone calms themselves but Laphicet sees Zhao hesitating and he knows what will happen.

"Zhao, NO!" Laphicet shouted running to stop Zhao but Zhao unleashes a fire slice out of anger killing Tui making Laphicet stop shocked just like everyone else and they all look at the moon turned scarlet and everything turns red once again, all of the Arte users dropped to the ground in pain.

Iroh bends fire at Zhao but soldiers attack but Iroh fends them off while Zhao escapes and Iroh defeats the Fire soldiers.

Everyone sees La circling the now dead Tui and they're all in disbelief and as they look on Zuko escapes and Iroh picks up Tui. Katara hurried to Laphicet and Sorey as they gripped their chests.

"Guys, are you okay?" Katara asked worried as she helped Sorey up on his feet.

"This malevolence...I've never felt so much like this before." Sorey said and the others get on their feet as well.

"I...don't...believe...it. Why would someone do something this horrifying?" Laphicet asked.

"Laphicet, everything is going to be alright." Lailah said and the blonde haired boy shakes his head.

"It's not the spirits I'm worried about. It's my sister!" Laphicet exclaimed turning to face all of them. "She's right now in town, devouring everyone that attacks her!"

"Then we must help her." Sorey replied suddenly, making everyone shocked and confused.

"Why do you care about her so much?" Edna asked.

"There's things I want to ask her, about how it was in her time." Sorey explained and Laphicet looks down in sadness before nodding to himself.

"Then here." Laphicet said and hands him the familiar comb.

"This is Velvet's comb! Why are you giving me something so special to you?" Sorey asked.

"Because this might bring her back to her senses." Laphicet explained and placed the comb in Sorey's hand. "I know you can save Velvet, she trust you bit by bit and you have the power to fight her." Sorey nodded and turned to Lailah, who understood what he meant.

"You guys should stay here and help them, me and Lailah go after Velvet." Sorey said and the two began to walk away.

"Shepherd, Velvet's unpredictable so look out of her arm and strike when she least expect it!" Zavied shouted and Sorey nodded before the two ran away.

"Even if they finish this, there's still no hope. It's over." Yue said.

"No. It's not over." Aang said as his eyes and arrows glow again.

"That again?" Rose asked.

"It's his Avatar State." Katara said as Aang enters the water and he stands in a meditation position as La circles around him and La's eyes glow as well and Aang descends into the water making the oasis into a blue lightning like energy and it expands from the island into the water.

As this is happening the water in the Water Tribe city starts glowing in the same blue lightning like energy and as the energy moves to the edge of the oasis a giant amphibious creature rises from the water and Aang is in the center of it and heads to the city of the Water Tribe.

Aang is now goes through the city and Fire soldiers see them and Pakku and the other Waterbenders see him as well. Pakku and the Waterbenders bow to them while the Fire soldiers prepare to attack but Aang controls the massive creature sends water at the other soldiers and they head for the ocean to destroy the Fire Navy ships.

During the fight in the city Zhao attempts to escape but Zuko shows up in front and bends his own fire blast at the shocked Zhao.

"You're alive?!" Zhao asked.

"You tried to have me killed!" Zuko yelled as he bends fireballs at Zhao who dodges but Zuko bends five fireballs getting Zhao.

"Yes I did. I know you're the Blue Spirit! You're an enemy of the Fire Nation! You freed the Avatar!" Zhao yelled.

"I had no choice!" Zuko said as he bends more fire blasts but Zhao blocks them.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure; you're a disgrace! Then, at least, you could have lived!" Zhao said as he bends his fire but Zuko bends them away.

"YOU'RE the disgrace to the Fire Nation, Zhao. The Fire Lord doesn't realize it because he's blind!" Zuko said.

"How dare you disrespect our Fire Lord! Your punishment will be severe!" Zhao yelled and he and the four start to fight.

At the same time, Sorey and Lailah was running around as fast as they could. They stopped for a second and heard the familiar sound of someone cracking the neck and they continued running, making around a corner to see Velvet holding a terrified soldier with her therion arm. Velvet was shadowing her eyes and the soldier screamed in agony before disappearing into Velvet's arm. Sorey and Lailah just stares at the scene horrified, Velvet was on her way to walk again when Sorey got the courage he needed.

"Velvet!" He called out and she stopped. "This isn't like you, where did the Velvet we know go?!"

"Laphicet is really worried about you." Lailah told the therion, who slowly turned to face them without uncovering her eyes. "It's good that you're okay." But suddenly, the two was feeling uneasy and prepared themselves for a fight.

Velvet slowly opened her eyes before they snapped opened, revealing they were the same red color as the moon and a blast of strong wind came at Sorey and Lailah, who was forced to protect themselves. Lailah used her flames to burn them away and Velvet dashed forwards her with her therion arm but Sorey strikes Velvet's back. The possessed therion growled and tries to kick the Shepherd but he dodges.

"Fethmus Mioma!" Sorey shouted and once again, his clothes changed into the white and gold garments but the accessories and eyes was red instead of blue. A big sword which produced flames appeared in his hands.

Sorey tries to hit Velvet but she was very acrobatic and dodged most of them. They clashed many times, trying to hit each other but Sorey was a little careful to not hurt her badly. Velvet grabbed his sword and tries to push the Shepherd down on the ground, Sorey tries his best as Velvet was abnormally strong but manages.

Suddenly, Sorey found himself somewhere else. He was on a cape where the sky was blue and the sun shined beautifully. Sorey wasn't wearing his coat and gloves anymore, he looks around confused as Lailah came by his side with a worried look.

"Where are we?" The Shepherd asked and Lailah breathe softly to calm herself down a bit.

"This is a secret power of the Shepherd, when they tries to purify a hellion with a troubled mind and terrible past..." Lailah explained as a small wind blew on them. "You're able to see some of their most terrible memories to find a way to truly purify them."

"But we were just fighting Velvet, how can we get here?" Sorey questioned as Lailah walked ahead.

"Your strong emotions to help her made it happen, the stronger the emotion, the higher is the possibility to get here." The seraph of fire replied as Sorey begins to follow her.

The scene then changed into a scarlet night and old ruins appeared at the end of the cape. Two people was standing near a big hole in the middle of the ruins, one of them was Laphicet in other clothing. He was dressed as an ordinary villager and the other person was a man but they couldn't see his appearance for some reason, only seeing a long sword in his left hand. The bright red moon was behind them as well.

"Why can't we see that man's appearance?" Sorey questioned as they look at the scene.

"Velvet's mind is trying to forget this ever happened, it must have affected her very much." Lailah guessed and they heard someone running into the area.

It was a girl with long black that goes to her waist in a long braid, tied by a red hairband. She was wearing a black sleeveless shirt under a short sleeved brown shirt that showed the chest area of the black one underneath, a light brown belt with small pouches around her waist, black pants and maroon boots. On her right arm was a gauntlet with a red gem in the middle and a brown armlet underneath.

 _"Laphi! Arthur!"_ The girl shouted.

 _"Velvet!"_ Laphicet exclaimed as the girl stopped few meters away from the two.

"Is that really Velvet?" Lailah thought out loud in as much shock as Sorey was.

 _"You."_ The man said as Velvet breathed heavily as if she's been running quite a distance.

 _"Oh, thank goodness..."_ Velvet said grateful. _"You kept Laphi safe, didn't you, Arthur?"_ The man looks away and up to the sky.

 _"...One more sentiment to cast off."_ The man said and Laphicet somehow knew what he meant.

 _"Velvet! Run!"_ He shouted and tried to run to his sister but tripped.

 _"Arthur?!"_ Velvet exclaimed in confusion and was pushed to the ground, fire shackles appeared on her ankles and wrists as she tries to break free while Laphicet got to his feet.

"Velvet!" Sorey called out and was about run to help the girl but Lailah stopped him.

"Remember, this isn't real." She said as they continued to see the events.

 _"Here, once, was the seal to the underworld broken."_ The man said. _"And tonight, here shall be born the power to save the world."_ He struck the scabbard in the ground and unsheathes his sword. _"With Laphicet's life as a sacrifice."_ The duo gasped in horror as Velvet was shocked.

 _"What? What are you saying?!"_ Velvet exclaimed. Laphicet closed his eyes as the man prepared to strike. _"Arthur! No!"_

Velvet's eyes widen in horror as he had pierced through Laphicet's torso and keeps the lifeless body on the sword. The duo was terrified, by the words Velvet had said when she arrived, they were fairly close. Velvet screams as she breaks the shackles and ran as fast as she could while the man turned to the hole and the dead Laphicet was gliding of the sword, falling into the hole. Velvet dashed down into the hole and was able to grab both the edge and Laphicet. The man only looks at the siblings as the duo from the future came to look at what's happening.

 _"Let him go. This is an offering to the world."_ The man said unimpressed.

 _"Why would you...?!"_ Velvet asked as she struggles to keep her grip.

 _"Nothing can save him now."_ The man said.

 _"No! No! Nooo!"_ Velvet shouted in disagree.

 _"...I see you will not change."_ The man was preparing to stab the black haired girl. _"Ever a slave to emotion."_

Sorey and Lailah looked away when the man stabbed Velvet in her arm and she falls into the hole. Lailah was about to look inside when a stream of yellow energy that looked like a dragon which disappeared into the sky. The man clinched his sword tighter and Sorey noticed this, but another stream got his attention and this time it was different. Velvet came out and crashed on the ground with a big cloud of smoke surrounding her, as it cleared something was different about the girl. Her wounded arm had turned into one big familiar claw, she groans in pain as she gets up. The massive power of the awaking of the first therion was powerful.

Sorey's eyes was snapped open and was now back to fight the real but possessed Velvet, he breaks free of the claw and Velvet jumped in the air before landing on the ground, staring at him with furious eyes. Sorey, however, straighten up from battle stance and looks at Velvet with sympathy.

"That's how you became a therion, when Laphicet was stripped of his life." Sorey said in sadness as he notices something on therion, under the possessed state Velvet was crying tears. "You're crying..."

"It looks like Velvet knew you saw her memories and know shows you her pain." Lailah explained within him. Sorey looks at Velvet determined and closed his eyes, the garments disappeared and he turned back to normal. "You've decided to do it on your own?"

"Yeah, after all I promised Laphicet." Sorey replied prepare himself for a fight.

Meanwhile at the oasis Iroh is still holding onto the dead Tui and Laphicet tries to heal it but nothing.

"It's too late. It's dead." Laphicet said and then Iroh sees Yue.

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you." Iroh said.

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life." Yue said.

"What are you thinking, Yue?" Kang asked.

"I'm going to give my life back." Yue answered.

"No! You don't have to do that." Sokka said.

"It's my duty, Sokka." Yue said.

"I won't let you! Your father told me and Kang to protect you!" Sokka said.

"Sokka, she has to do this. For our tribe. For the world." Kang said as he pulls Yue away from Sokka. "Go ahead, Yue. We won't stop you."

"Kang, thank you for being there for me. Thank you for being like a big brother." Yue said.

"We've always been there for each other, Yue. Now you'll have to be there for us now." Kang said and the two hug and then Yue places her hands on Tui and Tui begins to glow while Yue closes her eyes.

"No! She's gone. She's gone." Sokka said.

"She did what she had to, Sokka. It's for the best of this world." Rose said and Sokka sees the seraphim for the first time.

"She's right. I'll miss her." Kang said.

"Laphicet, we should check on Sorey and the girls if they're okay." Mikleo suggested and Laphicet nodded in agreement before they all hurried away to the town.

Meanwhile Aang approach the sea and starts destroying Fire Navy ships with the Ocean Spirit but the Fire Navy ship attackes the two but Aang blocked it with the arm and then made a big wave, destroying more Fire Navy ships and also pushing them back but the Fire Navy ships keeps fighting back but Aang uses water to destroy the ships.

At the same time, Sorey was covered in small bruses as he keeps fighting against Velvet, who became more and more aggressive as Lailah begins to be very worried of his condition.

Meanwhile at the oasis Yue fades away and disappears as Tui glows and Iroh places Tui back into the pond and the water lights up until energy floats up into the air forming an image of Yue.

"Goodbye, Sokka. I'll always be with you." Yue said as she kisses Sokka and she turns to Kang. "Goodbye, Kang. I'll watch over you and be with you in your troubled times." Yue said and the two hug one last time before Yue fades away and everyone looks up at the sky and the moon reappears in the sky bringing color back.

Meanwhile Aang is still fused with the Ocean Spirit and Aang looks up and sees that the moon has reappeared and the Ocean Spirit fades into the water and moves back to the city while sending Aang to a wall as he leaves the Avatar State.

With Sorey, he was blocking an attack by Velvet's gauntlet blade and she kicks the sword away while sending Sorey to the ground. She was about to attack when Sorey held up the comb to her, Velvet suddenly stopped and backed away slowly. Sorey looks up and sees Velvet glancing on the moon, her turns back to its original form and she collapsed forwards. Sorey catches her and sees the tears still running down her eyes as Velvet opened her eyes, having the gold color scheme once again.

"Sorey...what happened?" The therion asked as she straighten herself and feels a tear landing on her hand. She brought her hands to her face to dry her tears away. "And why the hell am I crying?!"

"How are you feeling?" Lailah asked coming over to them.

"Fine, mind telling me what just happened?" Velvet demanded and they looked away in pain.

"We know how you became a therion and how Laphicet..." Sorey explained and Velvet was shocked.

"Sorey! Velvet!" Rose called out as the group comes over to them. Sorey and Velvet stands up, but the black haired noticed something in the distance.

"This smell...! Zuko and Zhao!" Velvet mumbled and hears a whisper before she ran away.

"Velvet, where are you going?!" Laphicet asked.

"There's something I have to do!" Velvet shouted and her vision begins to blur. _'It's happening again, I must have devoured too much with my therion powers. I've got to hurry!'_

Meanwhile Zuko still fighting Zhao on a bridge and overpower Zhao and then he notices the moon.

"It can't be!" Zhao said shocked and they see the moon in the sky. Just then the energy in the shape of a hand grabs Zhao and is dragged into the water.

"Unhand me, you miserable cretin!" Zhao demanded.

"Zhao!" Zuko yelled as he runs to him. "Take my hand!" He said reaching his hand out.

"Ocean Spirit!" The familiar voice of Velvet called out as she arrived. "I have a more fitting place for that jerk."

"You again!" Zhao called out and he fell on the bridge. Velvet walked over to him and kicks him a few times.

"That's for hurting me and my friends, and this..." She said dangerous and kicks him harder. "Is for everything else you did."

"You're a...monster..." Zhao growled in pain.

"Save that to the Lord of Calamity." Velvet said and therionized before grabbing Zhao's head.

"No! Wait!" Zuko yelled.

"Zuko, this is the first and last time I'm doing this for you." Velvet explained. "You remind me of myself a long time ago, if you still want to hunt us down then I suggest you don't speak about this ever." Velvet screams as she beings to devour Zhao, who screams in fear before turning into flames and into Velvet's arm.

Velvet breathes heavily as consciousness slipps away and everything becomes black. The therion finally gives in and falls to the ice ground, Zuko looks at her and walked over to Velvet to take her away but hears people coming their way. He looks back and forth before deciding to check Velvet's pockets, Zuko takes an gold item before running away as Laphicet and the others came. The younger sibling hurried over to the unconscious girl and tries to wake her up.

It's now daytime in the city and the battle is over, veryone is on a ledge overlooking the city and Katara was with Pakku.

"I've decided to go to the South Pole. Some other benders and healers want to join me. It's time we helped rebuild our sister tribe." Pakku said.

"What about Aang? He still needs to learn Waterbending." Katara said.

"Well, he'd better get used to calling you 'Master' Katara." Pakku said and Katara smiles.

Meanwhile Sokka is with Arnook.

"The spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born. I saw a beautiful, brave, young woman become the Moon Spirit. I knew this day would come." Chief Arnook said.

"You must be proud." Sokka said.

"I am proud...and sad." Chief Arnook said.

Laphicet, Sorey and their friends are with Kang.

"Kang, I'm really sorry about Yue. She must have been like a sister to you." Laphicet said.

"Yeah she was. Don't worry about it. Yue did what she had to do. Besides, now she'll be able to protect us in our times of need." Kang said as he goes to Zanta. "How's Velvet?"

"We don't know, she just won't wake up." Laphicet explained worried.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, after all she's your incredible older sister." Kang said and Laphicet smiled.

"What're you gonna do now?" Sorey asked.

"Since Pakku and the other Waterbenders are going to the South Pole, I'm coming along. I'm gonna teach everyone what it means to be a Waterbender and a Water Tribe warrior, male and female." Kang said.

"That's good to hear. Your father would be proud." Rose said.

"Yeah. I wanna say it was great meeting you guys, but I have a feeling we'll meet again sometime." Kang said and Zanata barks in agreement.

"I feel that too. Good luck, Kang." Laphicet said.

"You too, Laphicet. I hope you guys and Aang save the world from the Fire Nation. I know you can do it." Kang said.

Meanwhile Zuko and Iroh are on a raft floating away from the Northern Water Tribe.

"I'm surprised, Prince Zuko. Surprised that you are not at this moment trying to capture the Arte users and the Avatar." Iroh said.

"I'm tired." Zuko said.

"Indeed. A man needs his rest." Iroh said. Zuko walks away and takes the gold item up to inspect it. It was a gold pendant on a gold chain, the pendant was the shape of a tear with pretty markings around it.

"You saved me, now I'm going to repay it." Zuko said determined clinching the item.

Meanwhile Aang is looking out on the ledge in the city and Sorey is standing behind him. Aang turns to him and smiles and Sorey smiles back.

"Good job, Aang." Sorey said.

"You too, Sorey." Aang said and the two takes each others and Katara joins in and so does Laphicet as they piled their hands on top of each other.

"Until Velvet gets better, we'll do our best." Laphicet said as Momo joins in.

Rose, Lailah, Mikleo, Edna, Zavied and Sokka then join them and all eleven of them look out to the ocean and the moon. Sorey and Aang rise up in front of them looking at the sky ready to face anything throughout the rest of their journey.

Meanwhile in the throne room of the Fire Lord known as Ozai who is sitting on his throne while the cruel looking girl from Iroh's flashback is kneeling in front of him.

"Iroh and his daughters are traitors. Your brother is a failure. I have a task for you." Ozai said and the girl makes an evil smirk and looks up at Ozai.

Somewhere else, a tomb chest with strange markings begins to glow and lights up the cave it was in as a mysterious get familiar voice rang out.

"Soon...I will be back...Velvet..." It said.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Aang:** Two elements down, two more to go!

 **Sorey:** I just hope we make it in time before the comet comes.

 **Laphicet:** Something isn't right...

 **Aang:** Is it Velvet?

 **Laphicet:** Yeah, I'm worried about her but that's not the case. I have an unpleasant feeling about what's going to happen.

 **Sorey:** I sorta feel it too. After seeing that memory of Velvet becoming a therion and you dying, a part of me says it has something to do with what happened that time.

 **Aang:** Next time: Book 2: Earth, The Avatar State. Make sure to read it!

* * *

 **Sorry for the slow update!**

 **I've been very busy with other things than updating this story. Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS came out this week, my dad's birthday and was working far too much on my Tales of Xillia and Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V crossover called Secrecy Eyes that I actually made from the very scratch!**

 **I promise that I will update this when I have time when I don't work on Secrecy Eyes.**

 **See you next time!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Book Two: Earth**

 **Chapter 1: The Avatar State**

Aang is running around the Southern Air Temple and he enters the room where he found Monk Gyatso's skeleton but instead of finding the skeleton Aang finds himself in his Avatar Spirit and the Avatar Spirit Aang turns and glares at the other Aang in anger terrifying Aang and then wind blows him away and Aang falls and lands in the Fire Temple he visited to talk to Roku and he sees the same Avatar Spirit Aang who breathes fire and splits the floor in half making Aang fall again and he lands on a Fire Navy ship in the North Pole seas and Aang sees the Ocean Spirit appearing and the Avatar Spirit Aang is in it and the Ocean Spirit slices at the ship Aang is on making him scream.

Aang wakes up from his sleep after his dream ends, he gets off his bed and walks out of the room the gang are sleeping in and goes outside, Laphicet and Katara wake up and watch him leave.

"Aang..." Katara said.

"Let's go see what's wrong." Laphicet said and the two get up and head outside.

Aang is standing by the ledge of the Water Tribe ship they are sailing on and Laphicet and Katara join the Airbender.

"I understand there's something wrong." Laphicet said.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Katara asked.

"Nah, just a nightmare. I was in the Avatar State, but I was outside my body watching myself. It was scary. I was scary." Aang said as he lowers his head and Katara hugs him.

"It's going to be alright, Aang." Laphicet said. "If this makes you feel better, I've been in that situation before. I lost myself..."

"Neither of you are bad people. You two know that. You two did what had to be done." Katara said.

* * *

It's now daytime and the gang are with Pakku, Kang, and two Water Tribe members.

"Katara, I want you to have this." Pakku said holding up an amulet. "This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis. The water has unique properties. Don't lose it." Pakku said giving Katara the amulet.

"Thank you, Master Pakku." Katara said and hugs him.

"Aang, these scrolls will help you master Waterbending." Pakku said giving Aang a box of Waterbending scrolls. "But remember, they are no substitute for a real master." Pakku said and Aang looks at Katara who is on Appa already together with the seraphim and the still unconscious Velvet.

"Thank you, Master Pakku." Aang said.

"Laphicet, for showing how much determination your sister have, I would like to give you something that will help your sister." Pakku said as he motions one of the Water Tribe members to give Pakku a chest and Pakku opens it, showing a beautiful silver blade with light blue in the middle.

"It's a blade for sis' gauntlet!" Laphicet exclaimed as Pakku closed it to give it to the younger Crowe.

"I had it special made for this occasion, I hope it will be a good use for Velvet when she recovers." Pakku explained and Laphicet smiles as he goes on Appa.

"I hope you two are willing to help fight alongside Velvet throughout her journey to help the Avatar." Pakku said to Sorey and Rose.

"Of course we are. We'll do everything we can to fight the Fire Nation at her side even if it means ending we lose ourselves." Sorey said.

"You can count on us, sir." Rose saluted.

"Good. Take care. All of you." Pakku said as he pats Sokka on his shoulder making him dismayed. "Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom base to the east of here. General Fong will provide you with an escort to Omashu. There, you will be safe and the Avatar can begin his Earthbending training with King Bumi."

"Thank you for everything, Master Pakku!" Laphicet thanked him.

"Say hi to Gran Gran for me!" Katara said.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang said and Appa flies off.

Meanwhile in a village Iroh is lying on a table and they are getting relaxing massages in a resort.

"This is just what I've been missing. Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make one so tense?" Iroh said and then he looks at a very unhappy Zuko sitting next to the entrance of the resort and so Iroh walk over to him and he sit next to him. "I see. It's the anniversary, isn't it?"

"Three years ago today, I was banished. I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Arte users, the Avatar, my honor, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless." Zuko said.

"I'm sure he doesn't. Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Iroh asked making Zuko stand up and walk away. "Uh, that came out wrong, didn't it?"

Meanwhile on a Fire Nation ship there are several men bowing as a royal carriage is brought out and inside the carriage is the cruel looking girl that Ozai talked to before which happens to his daughter known as Azula and she steps out of the carriage and walks down the line of soldiers.

"My brother and uncle have disgraced the Fire Lord and brought shame to us all. You might have mixed feelings of attacking members of the royal family. I understand, but I assure you, if you hesitate, I won't hesitate to bring you down. Dismissed." Azula said and the soldiers leave while the captain arrives.

"Princess, I'm afraid the tides won't allow us to bring the ship into port before nightfall." The captain informed.

"I'm sorry, captain, but I do not know much about the tides. Could you explain something to me?" Azula asked.

"Of course, Your Highness." The captain said.

"Do the tides command this ship?" Azula asked.

"I don't understand." The captain said.

"You just said the tides would not allow us to bring the ship in. Do the tides command this ship?" Azula asked again.

"No, princess." The captain answered.

"And if I were to have you thrown overboard, would the tides think twice about smashing you against the rocky shore?" Azula asked.

"No, princess." The captain answered.

"Well, you should worry less about the tides who have already made up their mind about killing you and worry more about me who's still mulling it over." Azula said.

"I'll pull us in." The captain said as he leaves and Azula glares at him.

* * *

Meanwhile Appa is still flying through the sky to their destination.

"There it is." Sokka said pointing at the Earth Kingdom base and Appa lands on the ground.

The gang see General Fong with two Earth soldiers at his side waiting for them, Sorey having Velvet on his back.

"Welcome, Avatar Aang and Shepherd Sorey! I am General Fong and welcome to all of you great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Rose, incredible Laphicet!" General Fong said and then noticed Velvet on the Shepherd's back. "And that must be the fearsome and beautiful demon Velvet!" Then fireworks off being launched by soldiers using Earthbending.

"Not bad, not bad." Zavied said.

Everyone is now in the base and General Fong is sitting on his desk while the gang are sitting on the ground in front of him.

"Shepherd Sorey and Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you two single-handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole. I can't imagine how it feels to wield such devastating power. It's an awesome responsibility." General Fong said.

"I try not to think about it." Aang said.

"And I wasn't really the one fighting the Fire Nation, I was trying to help a friend." Sorey said.

"It's the seraphim that deserves the fame, not me."

"Avatar, you're ready to take down the Fire Lord now." General Fong said shocking the two.

"What?! No we're not." Aang said.

"Aang still needs to master all four elements." Katara said.

"Why? With those kinds of powers he possess, the powers enough to destroy hundreds of battleships in a matter of seconds, they can defeat the Fire Lord now!" General Fong said.

"But, sir, the thing is that Aang can only do those things when Aang is in the Avatar State." Rose said. "And Velvet hasn't recovered yet to help him."

"You see, it's a special state wh..." Aang was cut off by General Fong.

"Yes, yes. I'm well aware. The Avatar State is when your eyes and tattoos glows and you're able unleash unbelievable power. Without you, we'd be slaughtered before we even reach their shores." General Fong said as he looks at his map and points at the location of the Fire Nation Capital. "But with you leading the way, as the ultimate weapon, we can cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation."

"Right, but, Aang doesn't know how to get in and out of the Avatar State and I don't know how to either, much less what to do once we're there." Sorey said. "And without Velvet there to help him, he will lose control."

"Then it's decided. I'll help you two figure out how to get into the Avatar State and you two can face your destinies." General Fong said but the gang stand up angry.

"No! NOTHING'S decided! We already have a plan!" Rose said.

"Velvet and Aang are pursuing their destinies THEIR way!" Katara said.

"I see. Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on. Let me show you two something." General Fong said as he leads Aang to his window. "Outside is the infirmary and those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back. Everyday, the Fire Nation takes lives. People are DYING. You both can end it NOW. Think about it." General Fong said as he walks away.

"Aang?" Laphicet asked and Aang lowers his head looking unsure.

 _'I don't like thinking about people suffering, but Velvet can't just end the war Fong's way. I still don't like the power I have. I can't even control it.'_ Laphicet said in his mind.

* * *

Meanwhile on Azula's ship Azula is training and she stands perfectly straight while holding her fingers in her hand and while she's training two elder women named Li and Lo are sitting and watching her training and Azula moves her arms around in a circular motion making lighting and fires a bolt of lightning into the sky.

"Almost perfect." Lo said.

"One hair out of place." Li said as Azula pushes a strand of hair away from her face.

"Almost isn't good enough!" Azula said as she repeats the same action of making lighting and fires the bolt of lightning at the sky again.

While this is happening Iroh suddenly wakes up from his nap and peers in curiosity.

Meanwhile it's nighttime and General Fong is in his office.

"General Fong?" A voice asked and it's Aang.

"Come in, Aang. Have you thought about our discussion?" General Fong asked.

"Well, Velvet can't do much in her state, but I'm in. I'm ready to face the Fire Lord." Aang said.

Later on Aang enters a room with several beds and the gang are in the room since they're staying there for the night, Velvet resting in one of them.

"I told the general I'd help by going into the Avatar State." Aang informed.

"What? No." Katara protested.

"Aang, this isn't the right way." Laphicet said.

"Why? Remember when you took out that Fire Navy? You were incredible." Sokka said.

"Aang doesn't like going into that state." Laphicet pointed out as he's sitting next to his sister.

"But that power's a part of him. He'll have to embrace it at some point." Zavied said.

"Aang, there's a right way to end the war. Practice, study, and discipline." Lailah said.

"If you meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, fine. Go ahead and glow it up!" Katara said walking away.

"Katara, I'm being realistic. I don't have time to do this the right way." Aang said and then makes a mournful look.

The next day the gang, General Fong, and a soldier are in an outdoor room and the soldier is pouring a cup of tea and then puts a white food item into the tea.

"This rare chi-enhancing tea is a natural stimulant. In an ordinary warrior, it improves strength and energy tenfold. In you, it might induce the Avatar State." The soldier said.

"Tenfold energy, huh?" Aang asked and drinks the tea making his eyebrows twitch and later on Aang is riding rapidly on his air scooter being hyper from the energy boost. "Is it working? Is it working? I can't tell! Somebody tell me if I'm in the Avatar State 'cause I don't have a good view of myself! Am I talking too loud?" Aang keeps talking quickly while still riding his air scooter and being hyper and the gang are tired out by Aang's actions.

"I guess he can talk the Fire Lord to death." Lailah said and then Aang hits a pillar and falls making Rose facepalm.

Later on everyone is now outside the base and Aang is sitting on the ground while Sokka is standing in front of him.

"I can try and shock you into the Avatar State." Sokka said.

"I love surprises!" Aang said and Mikleo covers his eyes with his hands and when Mikleo uncovers them, Sokka is towering over Aang with his head replaced by Momo's who screeches causing Aang to scream and then looks at his arrows. "Still not glowing." Aang said and Sokka tries to keep his balance but he falls.

Everyone is now in a dimly lit room and Aang is wearing a Water Tribe cloak, an Earth Kingdom hat with a leaf, and Fire Nation belt around his waist and an oracle is standing in front of him.

"You are wearing a ceremonial piece of clothing from each of the bending nations. Now I will join the four elements into one! Water! Earth! Fire! Air!" The oracle pours a jug of water, a bowl of dirt, throws a torch, and releases air gust from a wooden contraption into a bowl. "Four elements together as one!" The oracle said as he flings the contents at Aang who is now coated in mud.

"This is just mud." Aang said.

"So do you feel anything?" The oracle asked and Aang raises his finger interesting everyone but he just sneezes causing the mud to fly everywhere and coats Fong, Katara, Sorey, Rose and Sokka in mud.

"We'll have to find another way." General Fong said.

* * *

Meanwhile Zuko and Iroh return to their place of stay for a while and they enter the dark room inside and Iroh pours several seashells from his bag and he examines one of them.

"Look at these magnificent shells. I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come." Iroh said.

"We don't need anymore useless things! You forget, we have to carry everything OURSELVES now." Zuko said.

"True, but there's not..." Iroh was cut off by a voice.

"Hello, brother, uncle." The voice said it's Azula who is sitting on a table and holding a seashell.

"What are YOU doing here?!" Zuko demanded.

"In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before we ask questions." Azula said as she stands up and walks over to the three. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?" Azula asked.

"Don't call me that!" Zuko snapped.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Iroh asked.

"Must be a family trait. All two of you so quick to get to the point." Azula said as she breaks a shell she was holding with her fingernails making Iroh angry.

"Tell us why you're here or else I'll throw you out into the ocean!" Zuko threatened.

"Very well. I've come to deliver a message from home. Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him; treacherous plots. Family members are the only ones you trust...Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home." Azula informed and there's brief silence. "Did you hear me? You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you good news."

"I'm sure your brother needs a mom..." Iroh was cut off by Azula.

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!" Azula snapped.

"You shut your mouth!" Zuko yelled.

"Silence!" Azula yelled back and she turns back to Zuko. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm NOT a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

"Father regrets? He...wants me home?" Zuko asked.

"I can see you need time to take this in. I'll come to call you on tomorrow. Good evening." Azula said as she leaves while Zuko ponders.

Meanwhile Aang is standing on a balcony of General Fong's base watching the sunset and Sorey and Katara come to join him.

"Can we talk to you about something?" Sorey asked.

"Sure." Aang answered.

"Do you remember when we were at the Southern Air Temple and you found Monk Gyasto's skeleton? It must have been very horrible and traumatic for you. We saw you get upset and you weren't you anymore." Katara said.

"We're not saying that the Avatar State doesn't have incredible and helpful power...but you should understand...for the people who love you, watching you be in that much rage and pain is really scary." Sorey continued.

"I'm glad you two told me that, but I still need to this." Aang said.

"I don't understand." Katara said upset.

"No, you don't and I don't think Velvet does either. Everyday, more and more people are dying. I'm already a hundred years late. Defeating the Fire Lord is the only way to stop this war. I have to try it." Aang said.

"I can't watch you do this to yourself. I'm not coming tomorrow." Sorey said sadly.

"Neither am I. Good night." Katara said sadly.

"Good night." Aang said sadly and Sorey and Katara walk away.

In their room, Laphicet was looking at his older sister really worried with the seraphim accompany him. The younger Crowe took Velvet's hand as gentle as he could.

"Velvet, we need you right now. Aang needs you." Laphicet told her, hoping Velvet would hear him.

"Laphicet, everything will be okay." Lailah said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I know Velvet, she isn't a person to give in so easily." Zavied pointed out. "You just need to hope she'll wake up in time before things go out of hand." They all looked at Velvet's sleeping face as they all prayed for her to come back.

Meanwhile it's now nighttime and Zuko and Iroh are in their house.

"We're finally going home! After three long years! This is unbelievable!" Zuko said packing his belongings.

"It IS unbelievable. I have never known my brother to regret ANYTHING." Iroh said. "Let alone banishing his own son."

"Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him! He cares about me!" Zuko said irritated.

"I care about you!" Iroh replied. "If my brother really wanted you back, I don't think it's the reasons Azula said."

"Neither of you know how my father feels about me! You don't know anything!" Zuko snapped.

"Zuko, I only meant that in our family, things aren't always what they seem." Iroh said.

"I think you are exactly what you seem! A lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who's always been jealous of his brother!" Zuko yelled as he walked away.

* * *

Aang is on Zuko's ship in the Southern seas and Aang sees the Avatar State Aang rising from the water riding on a swirling water vortex like Aang did before and then Avatar State Aang lands on the ship and bends the water to sweep the real Aang away and the Avatar State Aang turns to Zuko and attacks him.

Aang wakes up from his sleep after having another nightmare and he sees Sokka sleeping and so he shakes the warrior.

"Sokka! Sokka, wake up!" Aang said.

"Huh?" Sokka asked as he wakes up.

"I don't think we should be trying to bring on the Avatar State." Aang said.

"You sure?" Sokka asked.

"Yes." Aang answered.

"Okay." Sokka said.

"You think the general will be mad at me?" Aang asked.

"What can he say? You're the Avatar. Who knows better than you?" Sokka asked.

"Velvet does." Aang said.

"Yeah. She is pretty smart." Sokka said and he goes back to sleep.

Aang lies back in bed and he tries to sleep again.

Meanwhile it's now morning and Zuko is getting ready to meet with Azula and so he starts to going the stone steps while carrying his bag.

"Wait!" A voice said from behind Zuko and he turns to see Iroh running to him.

"Don't leave without me." Iroh said.

"You changed your mind!" Zuko said smiling.

"Family sticks together." Iroh said as he places his hand on Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko remembers how Ozai places his hand on his son's shoulder in the past and he looks at the ship.

"We're going home." Zuko said as he continues going down the stairs. Iroh look at the ship in suspicion and he follow Zuko.

Meanwhile Aang, Sokka, Sorey and Rose are in Fong's office.

"The thing is, I don't think we'll ever be able to trigger it on purpose. I guess that's it." Aang said.

"Are you sure I can't change your mind?" Fong asked.

"I'm sure. I can only reach the Avatar State when I'm in genuine danger." Aang said.

"I see. I was afraid you'd say that." Fong said as he blasts his entire desk at Aang with Earthbending sending the Airbender soaring across the room.

"Aang!" Sokka said.

"C'mon!" Sorey said and they go for Aang's aid but soldiers hold them down.

"Unhand me!" Rose commanded as she attacks the soldiers holding her and attacks more coming to her.

After the impact Aang is sent crashing through the wall and flies out of the building but he breaks his fall with his Airbending and Fong runs over to the hole in the wall.

"Men! Attack the Avatar!" Fong commanded pointing at Aang.

Aang is now surrounded by several Earth soldiers and some soldiers are on ostrich-horses and Fong jumps out of the building and lands on the ground sending a rock wave at Aang sending the Airbender back.

"What're you doing?" Aang asked.

"I believe we're about to get results." Fong said.

Earth soldiers use their Earthbending to fire large earth coins at Aang but he avoids them and soars in the air between two more earth coins being thrown at him and he lands on the ground.

"I'm not your enemy! I won't fight you!" Aang said but four more earth coins are sent at him but he jumps into the air.

As Aang starts to float down another earth coin is sent skidding toward him and the coin crashes into one of the four stationary coins and Aang lands on the ground where the coin was but two earth coins are closed together trapping the Airbender inside the holes on the coins but he rolls the coins with speed but an Earth soldier uses his Earthbending to break the earth coins into bits but Aang lands on the ground and rises to confront the rest of the soldiers.

While this is happening Rose is still fighting against the soldiers with Sorey, Mikleo, Edna and Lailah while Sokka who is still being held captive by two soldiers lifts his feet and stomps on their bare feet making them lose their grip and they fall to the ground and Sorey, Rose, Mikleo, Lailah and Edna defeat the Earth soldiers.

"We need to help Aang." Mikleo said.

"He's right. Let's go." Sorey said as they head outside.

Back outside Aang avoids two earth coins being sent at him and one flies above him while the other is below him and two more earth coins are sent from opposite sides of the ring ready to crush the Airbender but Aang manages to escape by dodging through the holes in the coins as they collide with each other and they fall to the ground and Aang makes an air scooter and starts riding around in zigzags past the soldiers who try to stop him by bending a rock wall in his way while two soldiers ride on ostrich-horses to chase after him but Aang rides past them and scales up the wall of the base but Earth soldiers bend rock pillars to propel themselves upward and Aang's air scooter runs out of air but he runs along the wall while two Earth soldiers follow him and Aang dodges spears that are coming his way and falls to the ground and two soldiers land as well and attack with their spears but Aang somersaults forward to avoid the spears and lands on the ground with an earth coin on it but the coin gets sent upward and drags forward with Aang being trapped in its hole and the coin lands in front of Fong.

"You can't run forever!" Fong said.

"You can't fight forever!" Aang replied.

Fong crushes the coin but Aang jumps off to avoid the attack and dust from the impact is sent flying.

* * *

Meanwhile Zuko and Iroh approach Azula's ship and Azula herself is standing on the ramp leading to the ship while guards stand either side of them as they walk past and Iroh still look suspiciously at the guards and the two reach the ship.

"Brother! Uncle! Welcome! I'm so glad you decided to come." Azula said and Iroh still look suspiciously.

"Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?" The captain asked.

"Set a course for home, captain." Azula said.

"Home." Zuko repeated.

"You heard the princess! Raise anchors! We're taking the prisoners home!" The captain said but then he widens his eyes realizing his mistake and he looks at Azula while Zuko and Iroh look at each other surprised and Azula turns her look of surprise to anger. "Your Highness, I..." The captain stops talking.

Zuko has wide eyes after hearing what the captain said and Iroh start attacking the guards pushing them off the edge of the walkway and sends fire blasts while Zuko throws the captain overboard and glares at Azula with fury.

"You lied to me!" Zuko yelled.

"Like I've never done that before." Azula replied as she walks away and allows her guards to send fire blasts at Zuko but he sends them away and charges onto the ship.

Meanwhile Aang is still avoiding three earth coins that slam to the ground attempting to crush him but he runs to the left as another coin rolls his way.

In the gang's room Laphicet and Katara hear noise outside as they are watching over Velvet.

"I wonder what crazy trick they're doing now." Katara said.

"Maybe they're..." Laphicet was cut off by another rumbling noise. "Maybe we should see if Aang's okay."

"Good idea." Katara said and the two leave the room.

Laphicet and Katara are now outside and they run down the stairs while Sorey, Rose, Mikleo, Edna, Lailah and Sokka run down the opposite stairs.

"What's going on?" Laphicet asked.

"The general's gone crazy!" Mikleo answered.

"He's trying to force Aang into the Avatar State." Sokka said as he throws his boomerang.

Laphicet and Katara run to the fight while a soldier is hit by Sokka's boomerang and falls to the ground dazed.

Aang is still avoiding the soldiers' attacks and he's being chased by another soldier riding on an ostrich-horse but the head of his spear is snapped off making him slow down while being stunned at this but Katara water whips the soldier knocking him off the ostrich-horse.

"Good...bird...horse...thingy..." Sokka said approaching the ostrich-horse carefully but Rose gets on it.

"Let's move!" Rose said as she makes the ostrich-horse gallop away.

Several soldier are still attacking Aang who still dodges and Fong sees both Laphicet and Katara standing in the middle of the battle and he has an idea.

"Maybe you can avoid me...but they can't." Fong said as he commands the Earth soldiers to rotate their earth coins to face Laphicet and Katara.

"I don't think so." Katara said as she water whips at Fong but he summons a dust pillar to deflect the water attack making mud.

Fong then uses his Earthbending to begin sinking Laphicet and Katara into the ground twisting them around and making them buried knee deep.

"I...can't move!" Katara said trying to break free.

"I can't either." Laphicet said also trying to break free.

"Don't hurt them!" Aang said as he leaps onto the ground and sends a gust of wind at Fong who bends an rock wall to block it.

Fong brings down the rock wall and starts sinking Laphicet and Katara into the ground burying their waists deep.

"LAPHICET!" Sorey shouted.

"NO!" Mikleo shouted as he, Sorey and Sokka charge at Fong who uses his Earthbending to sink their feet stopping them.

"Monster!" Rose said who is still riding on the ostrich-horse and charges at Fong who uses his Earthbending to sink the ostrich-horse's feet sending Rose flying but she lands to the ground and she charges but Fong sinks her feet as well along with Lailah.

"Stop this! You have to let them go!" Aang pleaded as he's clutching Fong's arm.

"You could save them if you were in the Avatar State." Fong said.

"I'm trying! I'm trying!" Aang said as tears flow from his eyes.

"Aang!" Laphicet said.

"We're sinking!" Katara said and their chests are now buried.

"I don't see glowing!" Fong said as he lowers his right arm and makes a fist making Laphicet and Katara's necks go deep.

"Stop!" Laphicet pleaded.

"Please!" Katara pleaded.

"You don't have to do this!" Aang said falling to his knees.

"Apparently...I do." Fong said as he clenches his fist tight and sinks Laphicet and Katara completely into the ground while they cry in fear and Aang leaps forward to try and save them but he was too late and his arrows start glowing and he turns to face Fong with full anger as he's now in the Avatar State. "It worked! It worked! Yes! At last!"

Aang sends an air blast at Fong who now has a fear expression and he gets knocked back and lands roughly on the ground and Aang begins to rises on an earth vortex.

* * *

Meanwhile Zuko leaps onto the deck of Azula's ship and blasts two guards off the ship with his fire blasts and he lands on the deck and he sees Azula standing patiently while her back is turned to him and she smirks while Zuko bends fire daggers in his hands and while Zuko is confronting Azula Iroh and Aiko continue to fight the guards.

"Zuko, let's go!" Iroh called but a guard attacks and pushes the guard back.

While Iroh is still fighting the guards Zuko charges at Azula with his fire daggers and he attempts to strike Azula but she dodges his attack and she smirks at her brother and Zuko keeps striking but Azula keeps dodging and as Zuko brings down a blow Azula pushes him away.

"You know Father blames Uncle for the loss of the North Pole. He also considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar! Why would he want YOU back home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him?" Azula taunted and Zuko bends fire daggers again and leaps into the air and sends a fire blast at Azula with his foot but Azula jumps back and lands on the deck.

Zuko charges at Azula again and tries to attack but Azula dodges his attacks again and she manages to scratch his forehead with her fingernails leaving three scratch marks on his head making Zuko fall back from the impact and he yells in anger and attacks again and their continued fight takes them upstairs leading to the central control area of the ship and Azula manages to grab Zuko's arm and the two stand silently until Azula knocks Zuko back with a blue flame blast and Zuko lands roughly on the bottom and Azula starts to move her arms in circular motion generating lightning again and was ready to fire a bolt of lighting at Zuko but Iroh comes to grab her right hand and he redirects the lighting causing it to hit the cliff side from afar but Azula frees herself from Iroh's grip and was about to bend fire but Zuko comes and he unleashes his flames at Azula knocking her off the ship and Azula lands into the water and Zuko and Iroh run from the ship.

Meanwhile in Fong's base Aang is still rising on the earth vortex and he's still under the control of the Avatar State.

"Avatar Aang! Can you hear me? Your friends are safe!" Fong began as he rises Katara and Laphicet back to above ground. "It was just a trick to trigger the Avatar State! And it worked!"

Aang still swivels around the earth vortex and he lands on the ground forcefully causing a flurry of dust to spread getting Fong and a torrent of dust also gets the soldiers sending them away and his attacks cause the ground to be broken and bring ruins all over the ring and buildings are damaged and after causing all of the damage. Aang, who is still influenced by the Avatar State, leaves his body and his spirit is rising to the air and he is now with Roku who is riding on his dragon named Fang.

"It's time you learned." Roku said as they fly higher above the dusty clouds.

As they are flying small figures appear in the distance.

"The Avatar State is a defense mechanism designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge of all the past Avatars. The glow is the combination of all your past lives, focusing their energy through your body. In the Avatar State, you are at your most powerful, but you are at your most vulnerable." Roku explained.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"If you are killed in the Avatar State, the reincarnation of the cycle will be broken and the Avatar...will cease to exist." Roku answered making Aang worried. Aang nods understanding this information.

Fang flies over Fong's base and he flies down headfirst passing through Aang's body and into the ground and Aang's spirit returns to his body and he exits the Avatar State and falls to the ground and he looks around the base looking at the damage he's caused and while he's looking, Aang lowers his head down Katara comes to comfort him.

"Aang." Sorey said looking at the Airbender and they walk over to him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, everyone. I hope you don't have to see me like this again, Katara." Aang said.

"Are you joking? That was almost perfect! We just have to find a way to control you while you are in your state." Fong said.

"You're out of your mind." Rose said.

"I guess we'll figure it out on our way to the Fire Nation." Fong said but something grabbed his head and was thrown away from the group.

When he sat up, a familiar blade pointing at his head. Laphicet smiled as he saw the long black thick braid bowing in the wind standing over Fong. Everyone else was smiling as well in surprise over that the person in front of them was there.

"Velvet!" The younger Crowe exclaimed in happiness. Fong got a little scared as he saw Velvet's angered face glaring at him.

"What the hell did you do to my little brother and friends?" Velvet growled in anger.

"Well, you see-!" Fong was cut off when the therion grabbed his armor and held him up in the air.

"You were trying to use Aang as a weapon to battle the Fire Nation." Velvet finished for him. "Aang isn't experienced in war and hell isn't prepared to see people getting killed for a stupid war!"

"Please don't kill me!" Fong exclaimed as Velvet swung her blade but stopped at his neck.

"You aren't worth it, coward." The daemon woman said, retracting her blade to punch him unconscious before dropping him on the ground. "Anyone else got a problem with that?" The soldiers who shake their heads in fear and Velvet gasped in relief before turning to her friends to see Laphicet running forwards her, hugging her while crying.

"Sis, I was worried you weren't going to wake up!" The younger brother cried as Velvet smiled while hugging him.

"I'm sorry for worrying you all." The older Crowe confessed as the others walked over to the siblings.

"What happened to you back there?" Katara asked. "You just collapsed back in the Northern Water Tribe."

"That's what happens when I devour too many powerful souls." Velvet explained. "I don't know why though, this is the third time it happened."

"Do you still want an escort to Omashu?" A soldier asked and Velvet and Katara looked at each other.

"I think we're all set." Velvet answered.

"I agree." Katara said.

The group get on Appa and he flies out of Fong's base.

Meanwhile in the village resort Azula is standing on the balcony of a building and holds up a wanted poster of Zuko and Iroh.

"Anyone who harbors these traitors will face the wrath of the Fire Lord!" Azula announced making the residents cower in fear. "There will be no place left to hide!"

Zuko and Iroh arrive at a riverside still running until they stop near the river to catch a break.

"I think we're safe here." Iroh said.

"Good." Zuko said.

Zuko then pulls out a knife and Iroh look at him aware of what he's going to do and Zuko places the knife under his ponytail and he slices it with his knife and he holds it and then gives the knife to Iroh who cuts his topknot with the knife and he gives the knife to Iroh and he cuts his top knot off with the knife and the two release their top knots on the river making them float away through the river and the two stand in silence.

* * *

 _Preview skit_

 **Sorey:** It's good to have you back, Velvet.

 **Velvet(smiling):** It's good to be back and it looked like I came right on time as well.

 **Sorey:** How did you know about Fong was going to use Aang as a weapon? You weren't even in the battle field when he confessed.

 **Velvet:** I saw on his face and the destruction Aang caused, I had a feeling that the Avatar State was activated.

 **Sorey:** Oh yeah, you've been there when he first activated it in the Air Temple months ago!

 **Velvet:** Looks like you got that answered already. Next time: The Cave Of Love.

 **Sorey:** It sounds a little strange when it comes from you.

 **Velvet:** You wanna bet?

* * *

 **I'm so sorry that you guys had to wait so long to the next update but I completely forgot to write the new chapter since I've been focused on Secrecy Eyes, New Life and the Wattpad stories. I'm really sorry for doing this to you all but I hope you like this chapter and I'll see you next time.**


End file.
